Compositions for the treatment and diagnosis of body weight disorders, including obesity

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to the identification of novel nucleic acid molecules and proteins encoded by such nucleic acid molecules or degenerate variants thereof, that participate in the control of mammalian body weight. The nucleic acid molecules of the present invention represent the genes corresponding to the mammalian tub gene, a gene that is involved in the regulation of body weight.

This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 09/248,203,filed Feb. 10, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,043,346, which is a divisionalof application Ser. No. 08/936,707, filed Sep. 24, 1997, now U.S. Pat.No. 5,871,931, which is a divisional of application Ser. No. 08/829,553,filed Mar. 28, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,817,762, which is a divisionalof application Ser. No. 08/631,200, filed Apr. 12, 1996, now U.S. Pat.No. 5,646,040, which claims priority to provisional applications60/000,604, filed Jun. 30, 1995, Ser. No. 60/001,273, filed Jul. 20,1995, Ser. No. 60/001,444, filed Jul. 20, 1995, Ser. No. 60/002,759,filed Aug. 24, 1995, Ser. No. 60/004,424 filed Sep. 28, 1995, and Ser.No. 60/015,396, filed Apr. 9, 1996.

1. INTRODUCTION

The present invention relates to the mammalian tubby (tub) genes,including the human tub gene, which are novel genes involved in thecontrol of mammalian body weight, including recombinant DNA molecules,cloned genes or degenerate variants thereof. The present inventionfurther relates to novel mammalian, including human, tub gene productsand to antibodies directed against such mammalian tub gene products, orconserved variants or fragments thereof. The present invention alsoincludes cloning vectors containing mammalian tub gene molecules, andhosts which have been transformed with such molecules. In addition, thepresent invention presents methods for the diagnostic evaluation andprognosis of mammalian body weight disorders, including obesity,cachexia and anorexia, and for the identification of subjects exhibitinga predisposition to such conditions. Further, methods and compositionsare presented for the treatment of mammalian body weight disorders,including obesity, cachexia and anorexia. Still further, the presentinvention relates to methods for the use of the mammalian tub geneand/or mammalian tub gene products for the identification of compoundswhich modulate the expression of the mammalian tub gene and/or theactivity of the mammalian tub gene products. Such compounds can be usedas therapeutic agents in the treatment of mammalian body weightdisorders, including obesity, cachexia and anorexia.

2. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Obesity represents the most prevalent of body weight disorders, and itis the most important nutritional disorder in the western world, withestimates of its prevalence ranging from 30% to 50% within themiddle-aged population. Other body weight disorders, such as anorexianervosa and bulimia nervosa which together affect approximately 0.2% ofthe female population of the western world, also pose serious healththreats. Further, such disorders as anorexia and cachexia (wasting) arealso prominent features of other diseases such as cancer, cysticfibrosis, and AIDS.

Obesity, defined as an excess of body fat relative to lean body mass,also contributes to other diseases. For example, this disorder isresponsible for increased incidences of diseases such as coronary arterydisease, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, hyperlipidaemia and somecancers. (See, e.g., Nishina, P.M. et al., 1994, Metab. =4:554-558;Grundy, S. M. & Barnett, J. P., 1990, Dis. Mon. 36:641-731) Obesity isnot merely a behavioral problem, i.e., the result of voluntaryhyperphagia. Rather, the differential body composition observed betweenobese and normal subjects results from differences in both metabolismand neurologic/metabolic interactions. These differences seem to be, tosome extent, due to differences in gene expression, and/or level of geneproducts or activity (Friedman, J. M. et al., 1991, Mammalian Gene1:130-144).

The epidemiology of obesity strongly shows that the disorder exhibitsinherited characteristics (Stunkard, 1990, N. Eng. J. Med. 322:1483).Moll et al. have reported that, in many populations, obesity seems to becontrolled by a few genetic loci (Moll et al. 1991, Am. J. Hum. Gen.11:1243). In addition, human twin studies strongly suggest a substantialgenetic basis in the control of body weight, with estimates ofheritability of 80-90% (Simopoulos, A. P. & Childs B., eds., 1989, in“Genetic Variation and Nutrition in Obesity”, World Review of Nutritionand Diabetes 63, S. Karger, Basel, Switzerland; Borjeson, M., 1976,Acta. Paediatr. Scand. 65:279-287).

Studies of non-obese persons who deliberately attempted to gain weightby systematically over-eating were found to be more resistant to suchweight gain and able to maintain an elevated weight only by very highcaloric intake. In contrast, spontaneously obese individuals are able tomaintain their status with normal or only moderately elevated caloricintake. In addition, it is a commonplace experience in animal husbandrythat different strains of swine, cattle, etc., have differentpredispositions to obesity. Studies of the genetics of human obesity andof models of animal obesity demonstrate that obesity results fromcomplex defective regulation of both food intake, food induced energyexpenditure and of the balance between lipid and lean body anabolism.

There are a number of genetic diseases in man and other species whichfeature obesity among their more prominent symptoms, along with,frequently, dysmorphic features and mental retardation. For example,Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS; reviewed in Knoll, J. H. et al., 1993, Am.J. Med. Genet. 46:2-6) affects approximately 1 in 20,000 live births,and involves poor neonatal muscle tone, facial and genital deformities,and generally obesity.

In addition to PWS, many other pleiotropic syndromes which includeobesity as a symptom have been characterized. These syndromes are moregenetically straightforward, and appear to involve autosomal recessivealleles. The diseases, which include, among others, Ahlstroem,Carpenter, Bardet-Biedl, Cohen, and Morgagni-Stewart-Monel Syndromes.

A number of models exist for the study of obesity (see, e.g., Bray, G.A., 1992, Prog. Brain Res. 93:333-341, and Bray, G. A., 1989, Amer. J.Clin. Nutr. 5:891-902). For example, animals having mutations which leadto syndromes that include obesity symptoms have also been identified.Attempts have been made to utilize such animals as models for the studyof obesity, and the best studied animal models, to date, for geneticobesity are mice. For reviews, see e.g., Friedman, J. M. et al., 1991,Mamm. Gen. 1:130-144; Friedman, J. M. and Liebel, R. L., 1992, Cell69:217-220.)

Studies utilizing mice have confirmed that obesity is a very complextrait with a high degree of heritability. Mutations at a number of locihave been identified which lead to obese phenotypes. These include theautosomal recessive mutations obese (ob), diabetes (db), fat (fat) andtubby (tub). In addition, the autosomal dominant mutations Yellow at theacouti locus and Adipose (Ad) have been shown to contribute to an obesephenotype.

The ob and db mutations are on chromosomes 6 and 4, respectively, butlead to clinically similar pictures of obesity, evident starting atabout one month of age, which include hyperphagia, severe abnormalitiesin glucose and insulin metabolism, very poorhermoregulation andnon-shivering thermogenesis, and extreme torpor and underdevelopment ofthe lean body mass.

The ob gene and its human homologue have recently been cloned (Zhang, Y.et al., 1994, Nature 3:425-432). The gene appears to produce a 4.5 kbadipose tissue messenger RNA which contains a 167 amino acid openreading frame. The predicted amino acid sequence of the ob gene productindicates that it is a secreted protein and may, therefore, play a roleas part of a signalling pathway from adipose tissue which may serve toregulate some aspect of body fat deposition.

The db locus encodes a high affinity receptor for the ob gene product(Chen, H. et al., Cell 84:491-495). The db gene product is a singlemembrane-spanning receptor most closely related to the gpi₃₀ cytokinereceptor signal transducing component (Tartaglia, L. A. et al., 1995,Cell 83:1263-1271).

Homozygous mutations at either the fat or tub loci cause obesity whichdevelops more slowly than that observed in ob and db mice (Coleman, D.L., and Eicher, E. M.; 1990, J. Heredity 81:424-427), with tub obesitydeveloping slower than that observed in fat animals. This feature of thetub obese phenotype makes the development of tub obese phenotype closestin resemblance to the manner in which obesity develops in humans. Evenso, however, the obese phenotype within such animals can becharacterized as massive in that animals eventually attain body weightswhich are nearly two times the average weight seen in normal mice.tub/tub mice develop insulin resistance with their weight gain but donot progress to overt diabetes.

In addition to obesity, retinal defects, hearing loss and infertilityhave all been observed in tub mice (Heckenlively, 1988, in RetinitisPigmentosa, Heckenlively, ed., Lippincott, Philadelphia, pp. 221-235;Coleman, D. L. & Eicher, E. M., 1990, J. Hered. 81:424-427; Ohlemiller,K. K. et al., 1995, Neuroreport 6:845-849). Several human syndromesexist in which such defects are found to co-exist with an obesityphenotype, including Bardet-Biedl syndrome, Ahlstroem syndrome,polycystic ovarian disease and Usher's syndrome.

The fat mutation has been mapped to mouse chromosome 8, while the tubmutation has been mapped to mouse chromosome 7. According to Naggert etal., the fat mutation has recently been identified (Naggert, J. K., etal., 1995, Nature Genetics 10:135-141). Specifically, the fat mutationappears to be a mutation within the Cpe locus, which encodes thecarboxypeptidase (Cpe) E protein. Cpe is an exopeptidase involved in theprocessing of prohormones, including proinsulin.

The dominant Yellow mutation at the acouti locus, causes a pleiotropicsyndrome which causes moderate adult onset obesity, a yellow coat color,and a high incidence of tumor formation (Herberg, L. and Coleman, D. L.,1977, Metabolism 26:59), and an abnormal anatomic distribution of bodyfat (Coleman, D. L., 1978, Diabetologia 14:141-148). This mutation mayrepresent the only known example of a pleiotropic mutation that causesan increase, rather than a decrease, in body size. The mutation causesthe widespread expression of a protein which is normally seen only inneonatal skin (Michaud, E. J. et al., 1994, Genes Devel. 8:1463-1472).

Other animal models include fa/fa (fatty) rats, which bear manysimilarities to the ob/ob and db/db mice, discussed above. Onedifference is that, while fa/fa rats are very sensitive to cold, theircapacity for non-shivering thermogenesis is normal. Torpor seems to playa larger part in the maintenance of obesity in fa/fa rats than in themice mutants. In addition, inbred mouse strains such as NZO mice andJapanese KK mice are moderately obese. Certain hybrid mice, such as theWellesley mouse, become spontaneously fat. Further, several desertrodents, such as the spiny mouse, do not become obese in their naturalhabitats, but do become so when fed on standard laboratory feed.

Animals which have been used as models for obesity have also beendeveloped via physical or pharmacological methods. For example,bilateral lesions in the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) andventrolateral hypothalamus (VLH) in the rat are associated,respectively, with hyperphagia and gross obesity and with aphagia,cachexia and anorexia. Further, it has been demonstrated that feedingmonosodium-glutamate (MSG) or gold thioglucose to newborn mice alsoresults in an obesity syndrome.

In summary, therefore, obesity, which poses a major, worldwide healthproblem, represents a complex, highly heritable trait. Given theseverity, prevalence and potential heterogeneity of such disorders,there exists a great need for the identification of those genes thatparticipate in the control of body weight.

It is an objective of the invention to provide modulators, such asintracellular modulators, of body weight, to provide methods fordiagnosis of body weight disorders, to provide therapy for suchdisorders and to provide an assay system for the screening of substanceswhich can be used to control body weight.

3. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the identification of novel nucleicacid molecules and proteins encoded by such nucleic acid molecules ordegenerate variants thereof, that participate in the control ofmammalian body weight. The nucleic acid molecules of the presentinvention represent the genes corresponding to the mammalian tub gene,including the human tub gene, which are involved in the regulation,control and/or modulation of body weight.

In particular, the compositions of the present invention include nucleicacid molecules (e.g., tub gene), including recombinant DNA molecules,cloned genes or degenerate variants thereof, especially naturallyoccurring variants, which encode novel tub gene products, and antibodiesdirected against such tub gene products or conserved variants orfragments thereof. The compositions of the present inventionadditionally include cloning vectors, including expression vectors,containing the nucleic acid molecules of the invention and hosts whichhave been transformed with such nucleic acid molecules.

Nucleic acid sequences of a wild type and a mutant form of the murinetub gene are provided. The wild type murine tub gene produces a fulllength transcript of approximately 7.0 kb and encodes a protein of 505amino acids, the sequence of which is provided. The amino acid sequenceof the predicted full length tub gene product does not contain either arecognizable transmembrane domain or a signal sequence, suggesting thatthe tub gene product is an intracellular gene product. The mammalian tubgene is, as shown herein, expressed in the brain, including thehypothalamus.

Nucleic acid sequences of a wild-type human tub gene are also provided.The human tub gene encodes a full length protein of 506 amino acids, thesequence of which is provided. The human tub gene and gene product arestrikingly similar to the murine tub gene and gene product.Specifically, the human tub gene is, at the nucleotide level, 89tidentical to the murine tub gene. Further, the amino acid sequence ofthe human tub gene product is 94% identical to the amino acid sequenceof the murine tub gene product.

Both murine and human tub genes produce transcripts which undergoalternative splicing. Such alternative splicing yields, in addition tothe full length transcripts, transcripts which lack sequencescorresponding to tub exon 5. Nucleic acid sequences corresponding tosuch alternatively spliced transcripts and the tub gene products encodedby such alternatively spliced transcripts are provided herein.

In addition, this invention presents methods for the diagnosticevaluation and prognosis of body weight disorders, including obesity,cachexia and anorexia, and for the identification of subjects having apredisposition to such conditions. For example, nucleic acid moleculesof the invention can be used as diagnostic hybridization probes or asprimers for diagnostic PCR analysis for the identification of tub genemutations, allelic variations and regulatory defects in the tub gene,and of alternatively spliced transcripts produced by the tub gene. Forexample, human tub genomic sequences are provided which can be used toselectively amplify human tub exons for analysis.

Further, methods and compositions are presented for the treatment ofbody weight disorders, including obesity, cachexia and anorexia. Suchmethods and compositions are capable of modulating the level of tub geneexpression and/or the level of tub gene product activity. Such methodsand compositions can also be utilized in the treatment or ameliorationof symptoms of tub gene-related sensory defects (e.g., eye and hearing)and fertility defects.

Still further, the present invention relates to methods for the use ofthe tub gene and/or tub gene products for the identification ofcompounds which modulate tub gene expression and/or the activity of tubgene products. Such compounds can be used as agents to control bodyweight and, in particular, therapeutic agents in the treatment of bodyweight and body weight disorders, including obesity, cachexia andanorexia. Such methods and compositions can also be utilized in thetreatment or amelioration of symptoms of tub gene-related sensory (e.g.,eye and hearing) and fertility defects. It is further contemplated thatthe nucleic acid molecules, peptides and other compounds of theinvention can have agricultural applications. For example, the ratio offat to lean tissue of agricultural animals can be favorably altered,e.g., this ratio can be decreased.

This invention is based, in part, on the genetic and physical mapping ofthe tub gene to a specific portion of mouse chromosome 7, described inthe Examples presented, below, in Section 6 and 7. The invention isfurther based, in part, on the expression and sequence analysis of acandidate tub gene using nucleic acid derived from wild type and tubhomozygous animals, which proves that this candidate gene does, indeed,represent the tub gene. Such analyses are described in the Examplespresented, below, in Sections 8-12, and include the identification of asplice site mutation in nucleic acid derived from tub animals which isabsent from the corresponding nucleic acid derived from wild type,non-obese animals. This single base mutation consists of a guanine (G)to a thymidine (T) in the splice site recognition sequence, whichresults in the retention of an intronic sequence in the mature tub mRNA,that encodes an abnormal, loss-of-function, tub gene product. Further,Section 13 presents the .successful cloning of the human tub genehomologue.

Still further, the Example presented in Section 14 demonstrates thatboth the murine and human tub transcripts undergo alternative splicing.Section 15 demonstrates the successful expression of recombinant humanand murine tub gene products. Finally, the Example presented in Section16 describes the identification, cloning and characterization of a humantub homolog.

4. DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1. Physical map of the D7Mit17 to D7Mit53 interval of mousechromosome 7.

FIG. 2. Northern blot analysis of total RNA derived from various tissuesof tub and wild type (C57BL/6J) mice, using the 90 bp P8X1 DNA fragmentas a probe. See Sections 10.1 and 10.2 for details.

FIG. 3. Northern blot analysis of total RNA derived from various tissuesof tub and wild type (C57BL/6J) mice, using the 1.15 kb fume009 cDNAclone as a probe. See Sections 9.1 and 9.2 for details.

FIG. 4. Southern blot analysis of EcoRI-digested mammalian genomic DNAderived from a number of different species, as indicated, using afragment of CBT9 (P8X9-10) as a probe, as described, below, in Sections10.1 and 10.2.

FIG. 5. In situ hybridization analysis of CBT9 spatial expression in abrain (hypothalamus) tissue section of C57BL/6J wild type mice, using afume009 cDNA probe.

FIG. 6. Nucleotide sequence of the coding region (and portions of 5′ and3′ untranslated regions) of the wild type tub gene (bottom line) (SEQ IDNO:1) and the encoded amino acid sequence (top line) (SEQ ID NO:2).

FIG. 7. Alignment of cDNA and genomic sequences derived from wild typeC57BL/6J (genomic=SEQ ID NO:4; cDNA=SEQ ID NO:6) and tub RNA(genomic=SEQ ID NO:3; cDNA=SEQ ID NO:5) in the region of the splice sitemutation. See Section 12.1 and 12.2 for details.

FIG. 8. Schematic representation of the splicing defect in the CBT9 genein tub animals.

FIG. 9. Nucleotide sequence of the coding region (and portions of 5′ and3′ untranslated regions) of the human tub gene (bottom line) (SEQ IDNO:7) and the encoded human tub gene product amino acid sequence (topline) (SEQ ID NO:8).

FIGS. 10A-10E. Human tub genomic sequence. Depicted herein are human tubgene exons 4-12 nucleotide sequences and flanking intronic sequences.Intron boundaries are depicted in bold; exon sequences are underlined.10A (SEQ ID NO:9). Exon 4 (corresponding to nucleotide sequence 254-397of FIG. 9) and its flanking genomic sequence. 10B (SEQ ID NO:10). Exon 5(corresponding to nucleotide sequence 398-565 of FIG. 9) and itsflanking genomic sequence. 10C (SEQ ID NO:11). Exons 6-8 (correspondingto nucleotide sequences 566-687, 688-885, and 886-998 of FIG. 9,respectively) and its flanking genomic sequence. 10D (SEQ ID NO:12).Exon 9 (corresponding to nucleotide sequence 999-1116 of FIG. 9) and itsflanking genomic sequence. 10E (SEQ ID NO:13). Exons 10-12(corresponding to nucleotide sequences 1117-1215, 1216-1387 and1388-1729 of FIG. 9, respectively) and its flanking genomic sequence.

FIG. 11. SDS polyacrylamide protein gel demonstrating bacterialexpression of recombinant murine and human tub gene products. Lanes fromleft to right: Pharmacia Low Molecular Weight Markers; uninducedBL21DE3/human pET29*-tub; induced BL21DE3/human pET29*-tub; inducedBL21DE3/human pET29*-tub HIS₆; induced BL21DE3/murine pET29*-tub;induced BL21DE3/murine pET29*-tub HIS₆. Arrow represents recombinant tubgene products.

FIG. 12. Nucleotide and amino acid sequence of the human tub homolog 1gene. Top line: amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO:15). Bottom line:nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO:17). “*” represents the stop codon.

5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Described herein are the identification of the novel mammalian tubby(tub) genes, including the human tub gene, which are involved in thecontrol of mammalian body weight. Also described are recombinantmammalian, including human, tub DNA molecules, cloned genes, ordegenerate variants thereof. The compositions of the present inventionfurther include tub gene products (e.g., proteins) that are encoded bythe tub gene, and the modulation of tub gene expression and/or tub geneproduct activity in the treatment of mammalian body weight, and bodyweight disorders, including obesity, cachexia and anorexia. Alsodescribed herein are antibodies against tub gene products (e.g.,proteins), or conserved variants or fragments thereof, and nucleic acidprobes useful for the identification of tub gene mutations and the useof such nucleic acid probes in diagnosing mammalian body weightdisorders, including obesity, cachexia and anorexia. Further describedare methods for the use of the tub gene and/or tub gene products in theidentification of compounds which modulate the activity of the tub geneproduct.

The murine tub nucleic acid compositions of the invention aredemonstrated in the Examples presented, below, in Sections 6 through 12.The human tub nucleic acid compositions of the invention aredemonstrated in Section 13, below. For clarity, it should be noted thatthe murine tub gene is also referred to herein as the CBT9 gene, and wasidentified and cloned as follows. Genetic and physical mapping of themurine tub gene interval was narrowed to the interval between markersD7Mit39 and D7Mit53. A P1 genomic clone, P8, was located within thisinterval, as indicated in FIG. 1. A P8 subclone, designated ium008p004,was sequenced. An analysis of ium008p004 indicated that this sequencewas part of the coding region of a gene. A 90 bp fragment, designatedP8X1, was amplified from this ium008p004 subclone. P8X1 was used as aprobe to screen a mouse brain cDNA library, resulting in theidentification of a 1.15 kb cDNA clone, designated fume009. fume009 wasused as a probe to screen a mouse hypothalamus cDNA library, resultingin the identification of a 6.0 kb cDNA clone, designated fumh019. Tosummarize, therefore, ium008p004, PX81, fume009 and fumh019 are all partof the murine tub gene, which is also referred to herein as the CBT9gene.

5.1. The Tub Gene

The murine tub gene, shown in FIG. 6, and the human tub gene, shown inFIG. 9, are novel genes involved in the control of body weight. Nucleicacid sequences of the identified tub gene are described herein. As usedherein, “tub gene” refers to (a) a gene containing the DNA sequenceshown in FIG. 6 or FIG. 9 or contained in the cDNA clone fumh019, CBT9H1or CBT9H3, or genomic clone P6, P8, or B13, as deposited with theAmerican Type Culture Collection (ATCC); (b) any DNA sequence thatencodes the amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 6 or FIG. 9, or encodesthe amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 6 or FIG. 9 but lacking the aminoacid residues encoded by tub exon 5 (i.e., amino acid residues 134-189to 134-189 of FIG. 6 or FIG. 9), or encoded by the cDNA clone fumh0.9,CBT9H1 or CBT9H3, or genomic clone P6, P8, or B13, as deposited with theATCC; (c) any DNA sequence that hybridizes to the complement of the DNAsequences that encode the amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 6 or FIG. 9,or encodes the amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 6 or FIG. 9 but lackingthe amino acid residues encoded by tub exon 5 (i.e., amino acid residues134 to 189 of FIG. 6 or FIG. 9), or contained in the cDNA clone fumh019,CBT9H1 or CBT9H3, or genomic clone P6, P8, or B13, as deposited with theATCC, under highly stringent conditions, e.g., hybridization tofilter-bound DNA in 0.5 M NaHPO₄, 7% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), 1 mMEDTA at 65° C., and washing in 0.1×SSC/0.1% SDS at 68° C. (Ausubel F. M.et al., eds., 1989, Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Vol. I,Green Publishing Associates, Inc., and John Wiley & sons, Inc., NewYork, at p. 2.10.3) and encodes a gene product functionally equivalentto a tub gene product encoded by sequences contained within the cDNAclone fumh0.9, CBT9H1 or CBT9H3, sequences shown in FIG. 6 or FIG. 9,sequences shown in FIG. 6 or FIG. 9, but lacking tub exon 5, or genomicclone P6, P8, or B13; and/or (d) any DNA sequence that hybridizes to thecomplement of the DNA sequences that encode the amino acid sequenceshown in FIG. 6 or FIG. 9, or encode the amino acid sequence shown inFIG. 6 or FIG. 9 but lacking the amino acid residues encoded by tub exon5 (i.e., amino acid residues 13.4 to 189 of FIG. 6 or FIG. 9), containedin the cDNA clone fumh0.9, CBT9H1 or CBT9H3, or genomic clone P6, P8, orB13, as deposited with the ATCC, under less stringent conditions, suchas moderately stringent conditions, e.g., washing in 0.2×SSC/0.1% SDS at42° C. (Ausubel et al., 1989, supra), yet which still encodes afunctionally equivalent tub gene product. As used herein, tub gene mayalso refer to degenerate variants of DNA sequences (a) through (d),especially naturally occurring variants thereof.

The invention also includes nucleic acid molecules, preferably DNAmolecules, that hybridize to, and are therefore the complements of, theDNA sequences (a) through (d), in the preceding paragraph. Suchhybridization conditions may be highly stringent or less highlystringent, as described above. In instances wherein the nucleic acidmolecules are deoxyoligonucleotides (“oligos”), highly stringentconditions may refer, e.g., to washing in 6×SSC/0.05% sodiumpyrophosphate at 37° C. (for 14-base oligos), 48° C. (for 17-baseoligos), 55° C. (for 20-base oligos), and 60° C. (for 23-base oligos).These nucleic acid molecules may encode or act as tub gene antisensemolecules, useful, for example, in tub gene regulation (for and/or asantisense primers in amplification reactions of tub gene. nucleic acidsequences. With respect to tub gene regulation, such techniques can beused to regulate, for example, cachexia and/or anorexia. Further, suchsequences may be used as part of ribozyme and/or triple helix sequences,also useful for tub gene regulation. Still further, such molecules maybe used as components of diagnostic methods whereby, for example, thepresence of a particular tub allele or alternatively spliced tubtranscript responsible for causing or predisposing one to a weightdisorder, such as obesity, may be detected. Among the molecules whichcan be used for diagnostic methods such as these which involveamplification of genomic tub sequences are those listed in FIG. 10 andin Table I, below.

The invention also encompasses (a) *DNA vectors that contain any of theforegoing tub coding sequences and/or their complements (i.e.,antisense); (b) DNA expression vectors that contain any of the foregoingtub coding sequences operatively associated with a regulatory elementthat directs the expression of the coding sequences; and (c) geneticallyengineered host cells that contain any of the foregoing tub codingsequences operatively associated with a regulatory element that directsthe expression of the coding sequences in the host cell. As used herein,regulatory elements include but are not limited to inducible andnon-inducible promoters, enhancers, operators and other elements knownto those skilled in the art that drive and regulate expression. Suchregulatory elements include but are not limited to the cytomegalovirushCMV immediate early gene, the early or late promoters of SV40adenovirus, the lac system, the trp system, the TAC system, the TRCsystem, the major operator and promoter regions of phage A, the controlregions of fd coat protein, the promoter for 3-phosphoglycerate kinase,the promoters of acid phosphatase, and the promoters of the yeastα-mating factors. The invention includes fragments of any of the DNAsequences disclosed herein.

In addition to the tub gene sequences described above, homologs of suchsequences, exhibiting extensive homology to one or more of domains ofthe tub gene product present in other species can be identified andreadily isolated, without undue experimentation, by molecular biologicaltechniques well known in the art. Further, there can exist homolog genesat other genetic loci within the genome that encode proteins which haveextensive homology to one or more domains of the tub gene product. Thesegenes can also be identified via similar techniques.

As an example, in order to clone a human tub gene homologue usingisolated murine tub gene sequences as disclosed herein, such murine tubgene sequences may be labeled and used to screen a cDNA libraryconstructed from mRNA obtained from appropriate cells or tissues (e.g.,preferably hypothalamus, or brain) derived from the organism (in thiscase, human) of interest. With respect to the cloning of such a humantub homologue, a human fetal brain cDNA library (e.g., Clontech#HL1149x) may, for example, be used for screening.

The hybridization washing conditions used should be of a lowerstringency when the cDNA library is derived from an organism differentfrom the type of organism from which the labeled sequence was derived.With respect to the cloning of a human tub homologue, for example,hybridization can be performed for 4 hours at 65° C. using AmershamRapid Hyb™ buffer (Cat. #RPN1639) according to manufacturer's protocol,followed by washing, with a final washing stringency of 1.0×SSC/0.1% SDSat 50° C. for 20 minutes being preferred.

Low stringency conditions are well known to those of skill in the art,and will vary predictably depending on the specific organisms from whichthe library and the labeled sequences are derived. For guidanceregarding such conditions see, for example, Sambrook et al., 1989,Molecular Cloning, A Laboratory Manual, Cold Springs Harbor Press, N.Y.;and Ausubel et al., 1989, Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, GreenPublishing Associates and Wiley Interscience, N.Y.

Alternatively, the labeled fragment may be used to screen a genomiclibrary derived from the organism of interest, again, usingappropriately stringent conditions. Further, a tub gene homologue may beisolated from nucleic acid of the organism of interest by performing PCRusing two degenerate oligonucleotide primer pools designed on the basisof amino acid sequences within the tub gene product disclosed herein.The template for the reaction may be cDNA obtained by reversetranscription of mRNA prepared from, for example, human or non-humancell lines or tissue known or suspected to express a tub gene allele.

The PCR product may be subcloned and sequenced to ensure that theamplified sequences represent the sequences of a tub gene nucleic acidsequence. The PCR fragment may then be used to isolate a full lengthcDNA clone by a variety of methods. For example, the amplified fragmentmay be labeled and used to screen a cDNA library, such as abacteriophage cDNA library. Alternatively, the labeled fragment may beused to isolate genomic clones via the screening of a genomic library.

Taking, as an example, the cloning of a human tub homologue using murinetub nucleic acid sequences, among the murine tub primers which may beutilized for PCR amplification are, for example, the following, whichare derived from the murine fumh019 sequence described, above:

5′-CCG ACT CGA TTG CCA GTG TA-3′ (SEQ ID NO:16)

5′-GCG GAT ACA GAC TCT CTC AT-3′ (SEQ ID NO:17)

These primers generate a cDNA product of approximately 950 base pairswhich can then be used as probe for the screening of appropriate cDNAlibraries such as, for example, human fetal brain cDNA libraries (e.g.,Clontech #HL1149x). When a cDNA library is screened with probes such asthis, hybridization can, for example, be performed for 4 hours at 65° C.using Amersham Rapid Hyb™ buffer (Cat. #RPN1639) according tomanufacturer's protocol, followed by washing, with a final washingstringency of 1.0×SSC/0.1 SDS at 50° C. for 20 minutes being preferred.

The Example presented in Section 16, below, describes the successfulidentification, cloning and characterization of a human tub homolog.

PCR technology may also be utilized to isolate full length cDNAsequences. For example, RNA may be isolated, following standardprocedures, from an appropriate cellular or tissue source (i.e., oneknown, or suspected, to express the tub gene, such as, for example,hypothalamus tissue). A reverse transcription reaction may be performedon the RNA using an oligonucleotide primer specific for the most 5′ endof the amplified fragment for the priming of first strand synthesis. Theresulting RNA/DNA hybrid may then be “tailed” with guanines using astandard terminal transferase reaction, the hybrid may be digested withRNAase H, and second strand synthesis may then be primed with a poly-Cprimer. Thus, cDNA sequences upstream of the amplified fragment mayeasily be isolated. For a review of cloning strategies which may beused, see e.g., Sambrook et al., 1989, supra.

tub gene sequences may additionally be used to isolate mutant tub genealleles. Such mutant alleles may be isolated from individuals eitherknown or proposed to have a genotype which contributes to the symptomsof body weight disorders such as obesity, cachexia or anorexia. Mutantalleles and mutant allele products may then be utilized in thetherapeutic and diagnostic systems described below. Additionally, suchtub gene sequences can be used to detect tub gene regulatory (e.g.,promoter) defects which can affect body weight.

A cDNA of a mutant tub gene may be isolated, for example, by using PCR,a technique which is well known to those of skill in the art. In thiscase, the first cDNA strand may be synthesized by hybridizing anoligo-dT oligonucleotide to mRNA isolated from tissue known or suspectedto be expressed in an individual putatively carrying the mutant tuballele, and by extending the new strand with reverse transcriptase. Thesecond strand of the cDNA is then synthesized using an oligonucleotidethat hybridizes specifically to the 5′ end of the normal gene. Usingthese two primers, the product is then amplified via PCR, cloned into asuitable vector, and subjected to DNA sequence analysis through methodswell known to those of skill in the art. By comparing the DNA sequenceof the mutant tub allele to that of the normal tub allele, themutation(s) responsible for the lose or alteration of function of themutant tub gene product can be ascertained.

Alternatively, a genomic library can be constructed using DNA obtainedfrom an individual suspected of or known to carry the mutant tub allele,or a cDNA library can be constructed using RNA from a tissue known orsuspected, to express the mutant tub allele. The normal tub gene or anysuitable fragment thereof may then be labeled and used as a probe toidentify the corresponding mutant tub allele in such libraries. Clonescontaining the mutant tub gene sequences may then be purified andsubjected to sequence analysis according to methods well known to thoseof skill in the art.

Additionally, an expression library can be constructed utilizing cDNAsynthesized from, for example, RNA isolated from a tissue known, orsuspected, to express a mutant tub allele in an individual suspected ofor known to carry such a mutant allele. In this manner, gene productsmade by the putatively mutant tissue may be expressed and screened usingstandard antibody screening techniques in conjunction with antibodiesraised against the normal tub gene product, as described, below, inSection 5.3. (For screening techniques, see, for example, Harlow, E. andLane, eds., 1988, “Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual”, Cold Spring HarborPress, Cold Spring Harbor.) In cases where a tub mutation results in anexpressed gene product with altered function (e.g., as a result of amissense or a frameshift mutation), a polyclonal set of anti-tub geneproduct antibodies are likely to cross-react with the mutant tub geneproduct. Library clones detected via their reaction with such labeledantibodies can be purified and subjected to sequence analysis accordingto methods well known to those of skill in the art.

5.2. Protein Products of the Tub Gene

tub gene products, or peptide fragments thereof, can be prepared for avariety of uses. For example, such gene products, or peptide fragmentsthereof, can be used for the generation of antibodies, in diagnosticassays, or for the identification of other cellular gene productsinvolved in the regulation of body weight.

The amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 6 represents a murine tub geneproduct, while the amino acid sequence depicted in FIG. 9 represents ahuman tub gene product. The tub gene product, sometimes referred toherein as a “tub protein”, may additionally include those gene productsencoded by the tub gene sequences described in Section 5.1, above, andis intended to include, for example, a tub gene. product encoded by atub gene sequence lacking tub exon 5.

In addition, tub gene products may include proteins that representfunctionally equivalent gene products. Such an equivalent tub geneproduct may contain deletions, additions or substitutions of amino acidresidues within the amino acid sequence encoded by the tub genesequences described, above, in Section 5.1, but which result in a silentchange, thus producing a functionally equivalent tub gene product. Aminoacid substitutions may be made on the basis of similarity in polarity,charge, solubility, hydrophobicity, hydrophilicity, and/or theamphipathic nature of the residues involved. For example, nonpolar(hydrophobic) amino acids include alanine, leucine, isoleucine, valine,proline, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and methionine; polar neutral aminoacids include glycine, serine, threonine, cysteine, tyrosine,asparagine, and glutamine; positively charged (basic) amino acidsinclude arginine, lysine, and histidine; and negatively charged (acidic)amino acids include aspartic acid and glutamic acid.

“Functionally equivalent”, as utilized herein, refers to a proteincapable of exhibiting a substantially similar in vivo activity as theendogenous tub gene products encoded by the tub gene sequences describedin Section 5.1, above. The in vivo activity of the tub gene product, asused herein, refers to the ability of the tub gene product, when presentin an appropriate cell type, to ameliorate, prevent or delay theappearance of the obese phenotype relative to it appearance when thatcell type lacks a functional tub gene product. “Obese phenotype”, asused herein, refers to the well known tub phenotype, db phenotype, or obphenotype. In humans, this can also refer to an increased percentage ofbody fat which is medically considered abnormal.

The tub gene products or peptide fragments thereof, may be produced byrecombinant DNA technology using techniques. well known in the art.Thus, methods for preparing the tub gene polypeptides and peptides ofthe invention by expressing nucleic acid containing tub gene sequencesare described herein. Methods which are well known to those skilled inthe art can be used to construct expression vectors containing tub geneproduct coding sequences and appropriate transcriptional andtranslational control signals. These methods include, for example, invitro recombinant DNA techniques, synthetic techniques, and in vivogenetic recombination. See, for example, the techniques described inSambrook et al., 1989, supra, and Ausubel et al., 1989, supra.Alternatively, RNA capable of encoding tub gene product sequences may bechemically synthesized using, for example, synthesizers. See, forexample, the techniques described in “Oligonucleotide Synthesis”, 1984,Gait, M. J. ed., IRL Press, Oxford, which is incorporated by referenceherein in its entirety.

A variety of host-expression vector systems may be utilized to expressthe tub gene coding sequences of the invention. Such host-expressionsystems represent vehicles by which the coding sequences of interest maybe produced and subsequently purified, but also represent cells whichmay, when transformed or transfected with the appropriate nucleotidecoding sequences, exhibit the tub gene product of the invention in situ.These include but are not limited to microorganisms such as bacteria(e.g., E. coli, B. subtilis) transformed with recombinant bacteriophageDNA, plasmid DNA or cosmid DNA expression vectors containing tub geneproduct coding sequences; yeast (e.g., Saccharomyces, Pichia)transformed with recombinant yeast expression vectors containing the tubgene product coding sequences; insect cell systems infected withrecombinant virus expression vectors (e.g., baculovirus) containing thetub gene product coding sequences; plant cell systems infected withrecombinant virus expression vectors (e.g., cauliflower mosaic virus,CaMV; tobacco mosaic virus, TMV) or transformed with recombinant plasmidexpression vectors (e.g., Ti plasmid) containing tub gene product codingsequences; or mammalian cell systems (e.g., COS, CO, BHK, 293, 3T3)harboring recombinant expression constructs containing promoters derivedfrom the genome of mammalian cells (e.g., metallothionein promoter) orfrom mammalian viruses (e.g., the adenovirus late promoter; the vacciniavirus 7.5K promoter).

In bacterial systems, a number of expression vectors may beadvantageously selected depending upon the use intended for the tub geneproduct being expressed. For example, when a large quantity of such aprotein is to be produced, for the generation of pharmaceuticalcompositions of tub protein or for raising antibodies to tub protein,for example, vectors which direct the expression of high levels offusion protein products that are readily purified may be desirable. Suchvectors include, but are not limited, to the E. coli expression vectorpUR278 (Ruther et al., 1983, EMBO J. 2:1791), in which the tub geneproduct coding sequence may be ligated individually into the vector inframe with the lac Z coding region so that a fusion protein is produced;pIN vectors (Inouye & Inouye, 1985, Nucleic Acids Res. 13:3101-3109; VanHeeke & Schuster, 1989, J. Biol. Chem. 264:5503-5509); and the like.pGEX vectors may also be used to express foreign polypeptides as fusionproteins with glutathione S-transferase (GST). In general, such fusionproteins are soluble and can easily be purified from lysed cells byadsorption to glutathione-agarose beads followed by elution in thepresence of free glutathione. The pGEX vectors are designed to includethrombin or factor Xa protease cleavage sites so that the cloned targetgene product can be released from the GST moiety. The Example presentedin Section 15, below, describes the successful expression of both murineand human recombinant tub gene products utilizing modified pET vectors(Novagen, Inc., Madison Wis.).

In an insect system, Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus(AcNPV) is used as a vector to express foreign genes. The virus grows inSpodoptera frugiperda cells. The tub gene coding sequence may be clonedindividually into non-essential regions (for example the polyhedringene) of the virus and placed under control of an AcNPV promoter (forexample the polyhedrin promoter). Successful insertion of tub genecoding sequence will result in inactivation of the polyhedrin gene andproduction of non-occluded recombinant virus (i.e., virus lacking theproteinaceous coat coded for by the polyhedrin gene). These recombinantviruses are then used to infect Spodoptera frugiperda cells in which theinserted gene is expressed. (E.g., see Smith et al., 1983, J. Virol. 46:584; Smith, U.S. Pat. No. 4,215,051).

In mammalian host cells, a number of viral-based expression systems maybe utilized. In cases where an adenovirus is used as an expressionvector, the tub gene coding sequence of interest may be ligated to anadenovirus transcription/translation control complex, e.g., the latepromoter and tripartite leader sequence. This chimeric gene may then beinserted in the adenovirus genome by in vitro or in vivo recombination.Insertion in a non-essential region of the viral genome (e.g., region E1or E3) will result in a recombinant virus that is viable and capable ofexpressing tub gene product in infected hosts. (E.g., See Logan & Shenk,1984, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81:3655-3659). Specific initiationsignals may also be required for efficient translation of inserted tubgene product coding sequences. These signals include the ATG initiationcodon and adjacent sequences. In cases where an entire tub gene,including its own initiation codon and adjacent sequences, is insertedinto the appropriate expression vector, no additional translationalcontrol signals may be needed. However, in cases where only a portion ofthe tub gene coding sequence is inserted, exogenous translationalcontrol signals, including, perhaps, the ATG initiation codon, must beprovided. Furthermore, the initiation codon must be in phase with thereading frame of the desired coding sequence to ensure translation ofthe entire insert. These exogenous translational control signals andinitiation codons can be of a variety of origins, both natural andsynthetic. The efficiency of expression may be enhanced by the inclusionof appropriate transcription enhancer elements, transcriptionterminators, etc. (see Bittner et al., 1987, Methods in Enzymol.153:516-544).

In addition, a host cell strain may be chosen which modulates theexpression of the inserted sequences, or modifies and processes the geneproduct in the specific fashion desired. Such modifications (e.g.,glycosylation) and processing (e.g., cleavage) of protein products maybe important for the function of the protein. Different host cells havecharacteristic and specific mechanisms for the post-translationalprocessing and modification of proteins and gene products. Appropriatecell lines or host systems can be chosen to ensure the correctmodification and processing of the foreign protein expressed. To thisend, eukaryotic host cells which possess the cellular machinery forproper processing of the primary transcript, glycosylation, andphosphorylation of the gene product may be used. Such mammalian hostcells include but are not limited to CHO, VERO, BHK, HeLa, COS, MDCK,293, 3T3, WI38, and in particular, hypothalamic cell lines such as GNand GH-1 cell lines.

For long-term, high-yield production of recombinant proteins, stableexpression is preferred. —For example, cell lines which stably expressthe tub gene product may be engineered. Rather than using expressionvectors which contain viral origins of replication, host cells can betransformed with DNA controlled by appropriate expression controlelements (e.g., promoter, enhancer, sequences, transcriptionterminators, polyadenylation sites, etc.), and a selectable marker.Following the introduction of the foreign DNA, engineered cells may beallowed to grow for 1-2 days in an enriched media, and then are switchedto a selective media. The selectable marker in the recombinant plasmidconfers resistance to the selection and allows cells to stably integratethe plasmid into their chromosomes and grow to form foci which in turncan be cloned and expanded into cell lines. This method mayadvantageously be used to engineer cell lines which express the tub geneproduct. Such engineered cell lines may be particularly useful inscreening and evaluation of compounds that affect the endogenousactivity of the tub gene product.

The Example presented in Section 15, below, describes the successfulexpression of recombinant tub gene products in mammalian cell lines.

A number of selection systems may be used, including but not limited tothe herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (Wigler, et al., 1977, Cell11:221), hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (Szybalska &Szybalski, 1962, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 48:2026), and adeninephosphoribosyltransferase (Lowy, et al., 1980, Cell 22:817) genes can beemployed in tk⁻, hgprt⁻ or aprt⁻ cells, respectively. Also,antimetabolite resistance can be used as the basis of selection for thefollowing genes: dhfr, which confers resistance to methotrexate (Wigler,et al., 1980, Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 77:3567; O'Hare, et al., 1981, Proc.Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 78:1527); gpt, which confers resistance tomycophenolic acid (Mulligan & Berg, 1981, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA78:2072); neo, which confers resistance to the aminoglycoside G-418(Colberre-Garapin, et al., 1981, J. Mol. Biol. 150:1); and hygro, whichconfers resistance to hygromycin (Santerre, et al., 1984, Gene 30:147).

Alternatively, any fusion protein may be readily purified by utilizingan antibody specific for the fusion protein being expressed. Forexample, a system described by Janknecht et al. allows for the readypurification of non-denatured fusion proteins expressed in human celllines (Janknecht, et al., 1991, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:8972-8976). In this system, the gene of interest is subcloned into avaccinia recombination plasmid such that the gene's open reading frameis translationally fused to an amino-terminal tag consisting of sixhistidine residues. Extracts from cells infected with recombinantvaccinia virus are loaded onto Ni²⁺ nitriloacetic acid-agarose columnsand histidine-tasged proteins are selectively eluted withitidazole-containing buffers. The Example presented in Section 15,below, demonstrates the successful expression of carboxy-terminalhistidine-tagged recombinant tub gene products.

The tub gene products can also be expressed in transgenic animals.Animals of any species, including, but not limited to, mice, rats,rabbits, guinea pigs, pigs, micro-pigs, goats, and non-human primates,e.g., baboons, monkeys, and chimpanzees may be used to generate tubtransgenic animals.

Any technique known in the art may be used to introduce the tub genetransgene into animals to produce the founder lines of transgenicanimals. Such techniques include, but are not limited to pronuclearmicroinjection (Hoppe, P. C. and Wagner, T. E., 1989, U.S. Pat. No.4,873,191); retrovirus mediated gene transfer into germ lines (Van derPutten et al., 1985, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA 82:6148-6152); genetargeting in embryonic stem cells (Thompson et al., 1989, Cell56:313-321); electroporation of embryos (Lao, 1983, Mol Cell. Biol.3:1803-1814); and sperm-mediated gene transfer (Lavitrano et al., 1989,Cell 57:717-723); etc. For a review of such techniques, see Gordon,1989, Transgenic Animals, Intl. Rev. Cytol. 115:171-229, which isincorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

The present invention provides for tranegenic animals that carry the tubtransgene in all their cells, as well as animals which carry thetransgene in some, but not all their cells, i.e., mosaic animals. Thetransgene may be integrated as a single transgene or in concatamers,e.g., head-to-head tandems or head-to-tail tandems. The transgene mayalso be selectively introduced into and activated in a particular celltype by following, for example, the teaching, of Lasko et al. (Lasko, M.et al., 1992, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89: 6232-6236). The regulatorysequences required for such a cell-type specific activation will dependupon the particular cell type of interest, and will be apparent to thoseof skill in the art. When it is desired that the tub gene transgene beintegrated into the chromosomal site of the endogenous tub gene, genetargeting is preferred. Briefly, when such a technique is to beutilized, vectors containing some nucleotide sequences homologous to theendogenous tub gene are designed for the purpose of integrating, viahomologous recombination with chromosomal sequences, into and disruptingthe function of the nucleotide sequence of the endogenous tub gene. Thetransgene may also be selectively introduced into a particular celltype, thus inactivating the endogenous tub gene in only that cell type,by following, for example, the teaching of Gu et al. (Gu, et al., 1994,Science 265: 103-106). The regulatory sequences required for such acell-type specific inactivation will depend upon the particular celltype of interest, and will be apparent to those of skill in the art.

Once transgenic animals have been generated, the expression of therecombinant tub gene may be assayed utilizing standard techniques.Initial screening may be accomplished by Southern blot analysis or PCRtechniques to analyze animal tissues to assay whether integration of thetransgene has taken place. The level of mRNA expression of the transgenein the tissues of the transgenic animals may also be assessed usingtechniques which include but are not limited to Northern blot analysisof tissue samples obtained from the animal, in situ hybridizationanalysis, and RT-PCR. Samples of tub gene-expressing tissue, may also beevaluated immunocytochemically using antibodies specific for the tubtransgene product.

5.3. Antibodies to Tub Gene Products

Described herein are methods for the production of antibodies capable ofspecifically recognizing one or more tub gene product epitopes orepitopes of conserved variants or peptide fragments of the tub geneproducts.

Such antibodies may include, but are not limited to, polyclonalantibodies, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), humanized or chimericantibodies, single chain antibodies, Fab fragments, P(ab′)₂ fragments,fragments produced by a Fab expression library, anti-idiotypic (anti-Id)antibodies, and epitope-binding fragments of any of the above. Suchantibodies may be used, for example, in the detection of a tub geneproduct in an biological sample and may, therefore, be utilized as partof a diagnostic or prognostic technique whereby patients may be testedfor abnormal levels of tub gene products, and/or for the presence ofabnormal forms of the such gene products. Such antibodies may also beutilized in conjunction with, for example, compound screening schemes,as described, below, in Section 5.4.2, for the evaluation of the effectof test compounds on tub gene product levels and/or activity.Additionally, such antibodies can be used in conjunction with the genetherapy techniques described, below, in Section 5.4.3, to, for example,evaluate the normal and/or engineered tub-expressing cells prior totheir introduction into the patient.

Anti-tub gene product antibodies may additionally be used as a methodfor the inhibition of abnormal tub gene product activity. Thus, suchantibodies may, therefore, be utilized as part of weight disordertreatment methods.

For the production of antibodies against a tub gene product, varioushost animals may be immunized by injection with a tub gene product, or aportion thereof. Such host animals may include but are not limited torabbits, mice, and rats, to name but a few. Various adjuvants may beused to increase the immunological response, depending on the hostspecies, including but not limited to Freund's (complete andincomplete), mineral gels such as aluminum hydroxide, surface activesubstances such as lysolecithin, pluronic polyols, polyanions, peptides,oil emulsions, keyhole limpet hemocyanin, dinitrophenol, and potentiallyuseful human adjuvants such as BCG (bacille Calmette-Guerin) andCorynebacterium parvum.

Polyclonal antibodies are heterogeneous populations of antibodymolecules derived from the sera of animals immunized with an antigen,such as a tub gene product, or an antigenic functional derivativethereof. For the production of polyclonal antibodies, host animals suchas those described above, may be immunize by injection with tub geneproduct supplemented with adjuvants as also described above.

Monoclonal antibodies, which are homogeneous populations of antibodiesto a particular antigen, may be obtained by any technique which providesfor the production of antibody molecules by continuous cell lines inculture. These include, but are not limited to, the hybridoma techniqueof Kohler and Milstein, (1975, Nature 256:495-497; and U.S. Pat. No.4,376,110), the human B-cell hybridoma technique (Kosbor et al., 1983,Immunology Today 4:72; Cole et al., 1983, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA80:2026-2030), and the EBV-hybridoma technique (Cole et al., 1985,Monoclonal Antibodies And Cancer Therapy, Alan R. Liss, Inc., pp.77-96). Such antibodies may be of any immunoglobulin class includingIgG, IgM, IgE, IgA, IgD and any subclass thereof. The hybridomaproducing the mAb of this invention may be cultivated in vitro or invivo. Production of high titers of mAbs in vivo makes this the presentlypreferred method of production.

In addition, techniques developed for the production of “chimericantibodies” (Morrison et al., 1984, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.,81:6851-6855; Neuberger et al., 1984, Nature, 312:604-608; Takeda etal., 1985, Nature, 314:452-454) by splicing the genes from a mouseantibody molecule of appropriate antigen specificity together with genesfrom a human antibody molecule of appropriate biological activity can beused. A chimeric antibody is a molecule in which different portions arederived from different animal species, such as those having a variableregion derived from a murine mAb and a human immunoglobulin constantregion.

Alternatively, techniques described for the production of single chainantibodies (U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,778; Bird, 1988, Science 242:423-426;Huston et al., 1988, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:5879-5883; and Wardet al., 1989, Nature 334:544-546) can be adapted to produce single chainantibodies against tub gene products. Single chain antibodies are formedby linking the heavy and light chain fragments of the Fv region via anamino acid bridge, resulting in a single chain polypeptide.

Antibody fragments which recognize specific epitopes may be generated byknown techniques. For example, such fragments include but are notlimited to the F(ab′)₂ fragments which can be produced by pepsindigestion of the antibody molecule and the Fab fragments which can begenerated by reducing the disulfide bridges of the F(ab′)₂ fragments.Alternatively, Fab expression libraries may be constructed (Huse et al.,1989, Science, 246:1275-1281) to allow rapid and easy identification ofmonoclonal Fab fragments with the desired specificity.

5.4. Uses of the Tub Gene, Gene Products, and Antibodies

Described herein are various applications of the tub gene, the tub geneproduct including peptide fragments thereof, and of antibodies directedagainst the tub gene product and peptide fragments thereof. Suchapplications include, for example, prognostic and diagnostic evaluationof body weight disorders and the identification of subjects with apredisposition to such disorders, as described, below, in Section 5.4.1.Additionally, such applications include methods for the treatment ofbody weight and body weight disorders, as described, below, in Section5.4.2, and for the identification of compounds which modulate theexpression of the tub gene and/or the activity of the tub gene product,as described below, in Section 5.4.3. Such compounds can include, forexample, other cellular products which are involved in body weightregulation. These compounds can be used, for example, in theamelioration of body weight disorders including obesity, cachexia andanorexia.

While, for clarity, uses related to body weight disorder abnormalitiesare primarily described in this Section, it is to be noted that each ofthe diagnostic and therapeutic treatments described herein canadditionally be utilized in connection with sensory (e.g., eye andhearing) and fertility defects that are commonly associated withmutations in the tub gene. That is, the diagnostic and prognostictechniques described herein can also be utilized to diagnose tub relatedeye, hearing and fertility abnormalities and/or a predisposition towardthe development of such eye, hearing and fertility abnormalities, whilethe therapeutic techniques described herein can be utilized for theamelioration of such eye, hearing and fertility defects. 5.4.1.Diagnosis of Body Weight Disorder Abnormalities

A variety of methods can be employed for the diagnostic and prognosticevaluation of body weight disorders, including obesity, cachexia andanorexia, and for the identification of subjects having a predispositionto such disorders.

Such methods may, for example, utilize reagents such as the tub genenucleotide sequences described in Sections 5.1, and antibodies directedagainst tub gene products, including peptide fragments thereof, asdescribed, above, in Section 5.3. Specifically, such reagents may beused, for example, for: (1) the detection of the presence of tub genemutations, or the detection of either over- or under-expression of tubgene mRNA relative to the non-body weight disorder state or thequalitative or quantitative detection of alternatively spliced forms oftub transcripts which may correlate with certain body weight disordersor susceptibility toward such body weight disorders; and (2) thedetection of either an over- or an under-abundance of tub gene productrelative to the non-body weight disorder state or the presence of amodified (e.g., less than full length) tub gene product which correlateswith a body weight disorder state or a progression toward a body weightdisorder state.

The methods described herein may be performed, for example, by utilizingpre-packaged diagnostic kits comprising at least one 'specific tub genenucleic acid or anti-tub gene antibody reagent described herein, whichmay be conveniently used, e.g., in clinical settings, to screen anddiagnose patients exhibiting body weight disorder abnormalities and toscreen and identify those individuals exhibiting a predisposition todeveloping a body weight disorder abnormality.

For the detection of tub mutations, any nucleated cell can be used as astarting source for genomic nucleic acid. For the detection of tubtranscripts or tub gene products, any cell type or tissue in which thetub gene is expressed, such as, for example, hypothalamus cells, may beutilized.

Nucleic acid-based detection techniques are described, below, in Section5.4.1.1. Peptide detection techniques are described, below, in Section5.4.1.2.

5.4.1.1 Detection of Tub Gene Nucleic Acid Molecules

Mutations or polymorhisms within the tub gene can be detected byutilizing a number of techniques. Nucleic acid from any nucleated cellcan be used as the starting point for such assay techniques, and may beisolated according to standard nucleic acid preparation procedures whichare well known to those of skill in the art.

Genomic DNA may be used in hybridization or amplification assays ofbiological samples to detect abnormalities involving tub gene structure,including point mutations, insertions, deletions and chromosomalrearrangements. Such assays may include, but are not limited to, directsequencing (Wong, C. et al., 1987, Nature 330:384-386), single strandedconformational polymorphism analyses (SSCP; Orita, M. et al., 1989,Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:2766-2770), heteroduplex analysis (Keen,T. J. et al., 1991, Genomics 11:199-205; Perry, D. J. & Carrell, R. W.,1992), denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE; Myers, R. M. etal., 1985, Nucl. Acids Res. 13:3131-3145), chemical mismatch cleavage(Cotton, R. G. et al., 1988, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:4397-4401)and oligonucleotide hybridization (Wallace, R. B. et al., 19-81, Nucl.Acids Res. 9:879-894; Lipshutz, R. J. et al., 1995, Biotechniques11:442-447).

Diagnostic methods for the detection of tub gene specific nucleic acidmolecules, in patient samples or other appropriate cell sources, mayinvolve the amplification of specific gene sequences, e.g., by thepolymerase chain reaction (PCR; the experimental embodiment set forth inMullis, K. B., 1987, U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,202), followed by the analysisof the amplified molecules using techniques well known to those of skillin the art, such as, for example, those listed above. Utilizing analysistechniques such as these, the amplified sequences can be compared tothose which would be expected if the nucleic acid being amplifiedcontained only normal copies of the tub gene in order to determinewhether a tub gene mutation exists.

Among those tub nucleic acid sequences which are preferred for suchamplification-related diagnostic screening analyses are oligonucleotideprimers which amplify tub exon sequences. The sequence of sucholigonucleotide primers are, therefore, preferably derived from tubintron sequence so that the enire exon (or coding region) can beanalyzed, as discussed below. Primer pairs useful for amplification oftub exons are preferably derived from adjacent introns. For example, inorder to amplify tub exon 5, a forward primer derived from the tubintron upstream of exon 5 (i.e., the intron between tub exon 4 and 5)could be used in conjunction with a reverse primer derived from the tubintron downstream of exon 5 (i.e., the intron between tub exon 5 and 6).

Appropriate primer pairs can be chosen such that each of the twelve tubexons are amplified. FIG. 10 depicts each of human tub exons 4 through12 and, further, depicts intron sequences flanking each of these exons.Primers for the amplification of tub exons can routinely be designed byone of skill in the art by utilizing such intron flanking sequence.

As an example, and not by way of limitation, Table I, below, listsprimers and primer pairs which can be utilized for the amplification ofeach of human tub exons 2 through 12. In this table, a primer pair islisted for each of exons 2 through 12, which consists of a forwardprimer derived from intron sequence upstream of the exon to be amplifiedand a reverse primer derived from sequence downstream of the exon to beamplified. Each of the primer pairs can be utilized, therefore, as partof a standard PCR reaction to amplify an individual tub exon. For eachof the primer pairs listed in Table I, the approximate size of theresulting amplified exon-containing fragment is listed. Utilizing theprimer pairs of Table I to amplify human tub exon 5, for example,primers F5 (the forward primer) and R5 (the reverse primer) would beused to amplify a fragment of approximately 250 base pairs that wouldcontain the entire coding region of exon 5.

TABLE I HUMAN AMPLIFIED TUB EXON PRIMER NAME AND SEQUENCE FRAGMENT SIZE2 F2  5′-GTT CAA GCT GGT TTC AAG (SEQ ID NO:18) F2/R2 = 200 bp    ATG-3′ R2  5′-ATC ATC CAG GGA AGA TGG (SEQ ID NO:19)     AC-3′ 3F3  5′-CTT CCT GGT GGA GGC AGT (SEQ ID NO:20) F3/R3 = 220 bp     G-3′R3  5′-GAA GCA GTG ACG GGA TGT (SEQ ID NO:21)     GG-3′ 4 F4  5′-GGG TACCGA GCT CTG GTC- (SEQ ID NO:22) F4/R4 = 295 bp     3′ R4  5′-TCC AAG TCAGGA GGA CAA (SEQ ID NO:23)     AC-3′ 5 F5  5′-GAA AGT GCA TCT GAG AAC(SEQ ID NO:24) F5/R5 = 250 bp     CTG-3′ R5  5′-CCT CCT CCT GGA TGT AAC(SEQ ID NO:25)     TC-3′ 6 F6  5′-TGT GAC CAT GTG TAT TTC (SEQ ID NO:26)F6/R6 = 234 bp     AGG-3′ R6  5′-CCT CTA ACG GAT GAG CAG (SEQ ID NO:27)    TC-3′ 7 F7  5′-GAT TTG GAT CCC AGA CCA (SEQ ID NO:28) F7/R7 = 331 bp    CC-3′ R7  5′-GAC TTC CAG TCA CAT TTC (SEQ ID NO:29)     AGC-3′ 8F8  5′-GTG CAG ACC AGA GGC TGA (SEQ ID NO:30) F8/R8 = 300 bp     G-3′R8  5′-TTC AGG CCC TCT ACA GAC (SEQ ID NO:31)     AG-3′ 9 F9  5′-TCA TAGGAC AGA CGA TGA (SEQ ID NO:32) F9/R9 = 210 bp     GC-3′ R9  5′-GTC CTGGAT TTC ATA TCT (SEQ ID NO:33)     ACC-3′ 10 F10 5′-AGG TAA ATA GAC GCCTCA (SEQ ID NO:34) F10/R10 = 218 bp     GG-3′ R10 5′-ACG TCT GCC CTT AGAAGC (SEQ ID NO:35)     TC-3′ 11 F11 5′-CTG GAC CTG GCT CAG GTG- (SEQ IDNO:36) F11/R11 = 400 bp     3′ R11 5′-GTC ATT AGG GTT AGA AAG (SEQ IDNO:37)     TTC C-3′ 12 F12 5′-TCT TCC CTC ATG TGG TTT (SEQ ID NO:38)F12/R12 = 300 bp     GG-3′ R12 5′-CCA CAG GCA GGC AGG CAA (SEQ ID NO:39)    G-3′

Additional tub nucleic acid sequences which are preferred for suchamplification-related analyses are those which will detect the presenceof the tub gene splice site mutation described, below, in Section 10.2and depicted in FIG. 7.

Further, well-known genotyping techniques can be performed to typepolymorphisms that are in close proximity to mutations in the tub geneitself. These polymorphisms can be used to identify individuals infamilies likely to carry mutations. If a polymorphism exhibits linkagedisequilibrium with mutations in the tub gene, it can also be used toidentify individuals in the general population likely to carrymutations. Polymorphisms that can be used in this way includerestriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs), which involvesequence variations in restriction enzyme target sequences, single-basepolymorphisms and simple sequence repeat polymorphisms (SSLPs).

For example, Weber (U.S. Pat. No. 5,075,217, which is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety) describes a DNA marker based onlength polymorphisms in blocks of (dC-dA)n-(dG-dT)n short tandemrepeats. The average separation of (dC-dA)n-(dG-dT)n blocks is estimatedto be 30,000-60,000 bp. Markers which are so closely spaced exhibit ahigh frequency co-inheritance, and are extremely useful in theidentification of genetic mutations, such as, for example, mutationswithin the tub gene, and the diagnosis of diseases and disorders relatedto tub mutations.

Also, Caskey et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,364,759, which is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety) describe a DNA profiling assay fordetecting short tri and tetra nucleotide repeat sequences. The processincludes extracting the DNA of interest, such as the tub gene,amplifying the extracted DNA, and labelling the repeat sequences to forma genotypic map of the individual's DNA.

A tub probe could additionally be used to directly identify RFLPs.Additionally, a tub probe or primers derived from the tub sequence couldbe used to isolate genomic clones such as YACs, BACs, PACs, cosmids,phage or plasmids. The DNA contained in these clones can be screened forsingle-base polymorphisms or simple sequence length polymorphisms(SSLPs) using standard hybridization or sequencing procedures.

Alternative diagnostic methods for the detection of tub gene-specificmutations or polymorphisms can include hybridization techniques whichinvolve for example, contacting and incubating nucleic acids includingrecombinant DNA molecules, cloned genes or degenerate variants thereof,obtained from a sample, e.g., derived from a patient sample or otherappropriate cellular source, with one or more labeled nucleic acidreagents including recombinant DNA molecules, cloned genes or degeneratevariants thereof, as described in Section 5.1, under conditionsfavorable for the specific annealing of these reagents to theircomplementary sequences within the tub gene. Preferably, the lengths ofthese nucleic acid reagents are at least 15 to 30 nucleotides. Afterincubation, all non-annealed nucleic acids are removed from the nucleicacid:tub molecule hybrid. The presence of nucleic acids which havehybridized, if any such molecules exist, is then detected. Using such adetection scheme, the nucleic acid from the cell type or tissue ofinterest can be immobilized, for example, to a solid support such as amembrane, or a plastic surface such as that on a microtiter plate orpolystyrene beads. In this case, after incubation, non-annealed, labelednucleic acid reagents of the type described in Section 5.1 are easilyremoved. Detection of the remaining, annealed, labeled tub nucleic acidreagents is accomplished using standard techniques well-known to thosein the art. The tub gene sequences to which the nucleic acid reagentshave annealed can be compared to the annealing pattern expected from anormal tub gene sequence in order to determine whether a tub genemutation is present.

Among the tub nucleic acid sequences which are preferred for suchhybridization analyses are those which will detect the presence of thetub gene splice site mutation described, below, in Section 10.2 anddepicted in FIG. 7.

Quantitative and qualitative aspects of tub gene expression can also beassayed. For example, RNA from a cell type or tissue known, orsuspected, to express the tub gene, such as brain, especiallyhypothalamus cells, may be isolated and tested utilizing hybridizationor PCR techniques such as are described, above. The isolated cells canbe derived from cell culture or from a patient. The analysis of cellstaken from culture may be a necessary step in the assessment of cells tobe used as part of a cell-based gene therapy technique or,alternatively, to test the effect of compounds on the expression of thetub gene. Such analyses may reveal both quantitative and qualitativeaspects of the expression pattern of the tub gene, including activationor inactivation of tub gene expression and presence of alternativelyspliced tub transcripts.

In one embodiment of such a detection scheme, a cDNA molecule issynthesized from an RNA molecule of interest (e.g., by reversetranscription of the RNA molecule into cDNA). All or part of theresulting cDNA is then used as the template for a nucleic acidamplification reaction, such as a PCR amplification reaction, or thelike. The nucleic acid reagents used as synthesis initiation reagents(e.g., primers) in the reverse transcription and nucleic acidamplification steps of this method are chosen from among the tub genenucleic acid reagents described in Section 5.1. The preferred lengths ofsuch nucleic acid reagents are at least 9-30 nucleotides.

For detection of the amplified product, the nucleic acid amplificationmay be performed using radioactively or non-radioactively labelednucleotides. Alternatively, enough amplified product may be made suchthat the product may be visualized by standard ethidium bromide stainingor by utilizing any other suitable nucleic acid staining method.

Such RT-PCR techniques can be utilized to detect differences in tubtranscript size which may be due to normal or abnormal alternativesplicing. Additionally, such techniques can be performed using standardtechniques to detect quantitative differences between levels of fulllength and/or alternatively spliced tub transcripts detected in normalindividuals relative to those individuals exhibiting body weightdisorders or exhibiting a predisposition to toward such body weightdisorders.

In the case where detection of specific alternatively spliced species isdesired, appropriate primers and/or hybridization probes can be used.Using the detection of transcripts containing tub axon 5, for example,appropriate amplification primers can be chosen which will only yield anamplified fragment using cDNA derived from an exon 5-containingtranscript. One of the, primer pairs can be designed, for example, tospecifically utilize an exon 5 sequence. In the absence of suchsequence, no amplification would occur. Alternatively, primer pairs maybe chosen utilizing the sequence data depicted in FIGS. 6 and 9 tochoose primers which will yield fragments of differing size depending onwhether exon 5 is present or absent from the transcript tub transcriptbeing utilized.

As an alternative to amplification techniques, standard Northernanalyses can be performed if a sufficient quantity of the appropriatecells can be obtained. Utilizing such techniques, quantitative as wellas size related differences between tub transcripts can also bedetected.

Additionally, it is possible to perform such tub gene expression assays“in situ”, i.e., directly upon tissue sections (fixed and/or frozen) ofpatient tissue obtained from biopsies or resections, such that nonucleic acid purification is necessary. Nucleic acid reagents such asthose described in Section 5.1 may be used as probes and/or primers forsuch in situ procedures (see, for example, Nuovo, G. J., 1992, “PCR InSitu Hybridization: Protocols And Applications”, Raven Press, NY).

5.4.1.2. Detection of Tub Gene Products

Antibodies directed against wild type or mutant tub gene products orconserved variants or peptide fragments thereof, which are discussed,above, in Section 5.3, may also be used as body weight disorderdiagnostics and prognostics, as described herein. Such diagnosticmethods, may be used to detect abnormalities in the level of tub geneexpression, or abnormalities in the structure and/or temporal, tissue,cellular, or subcellular location of tub gene product. Because evidencedisclosed herein indicates that the tub gene product is an intracellulargene product, the antibodies and immunoassay methods described belowhave important in vitro applications in assessing the efficacy oftreatments for body-weight disorders such as obesity, cachexia andanorexia. Antibodies, or fragments of antibodies, such as thosedescribed below, may be used to screen potentially therapeutic compoundsin vitro to determine their effects on tub gene expression and tubpeptide production. The compounds which have beneficial effects on bodyweight disorders, such as obesity, cachexia and anorexia, can beidentified, and a therapeutically effective dose determined.

In vitro immunoassays may also be used, for example, to assess theefficacy of cell-based gene therapy for body weight disorders, includingobesity, cachexia and anorexia. Antibodies directed against tub peptidesmay be used in vitro to determine the level of tub gene expressionachieved in cells genetically engineered to produce tub peptides. Giventhat evidence disclosed herein indicates that the tub gene product is anintracellular gene product, such an assessment is, preferably, doneusing cell lysates or extracts. Such analysis will allow for adetermination of the number of transformed cells necessary to achievetherapeutic efficacy, in vivo, as well as optimization of the genereplacement protocol.

The tissue or cell type to be analyzed will generally include thosewhich are known, or suspected, to express the tub gene, such as, forexample, hypothalamic cells. The protein isolation methods employedherein may, for example, be such as those described in Harlow and Lane(Harlow, E. and Lane, D., 1988, “Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual”, ColdSpring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.), which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The isolated cells canbe derived from cell culture or from a patient. The analysis of celltaken from culture may be a necessary step in the assessment of cells tobe used as part of a cell-based gene therapy technique or,alternatively, to test the effect of compounds on the expression of thetub gene.

Preferred diagnostic methods for the detection of tub gene products orconserved variants or peptide fragments thereof, may involve, forexample, immunoassays wherein the tub gene products or conservedvariants, including gene products which are the result of alternativelyspliced transcripts, or peptide fragments are detected by theirinteraction with an anti-tub gene product-specific antibody.

For example, antibodies, or fragments of antibodies, such as thosedescribed, above, in Section 5.3, useful in the present invention may beused to quantitatively or qualitatively detect the presence of tub geneproducts or conserved variants or peptide fragments thereof. This can beaccomplished, for example, by immunofluorescence techniques employing afluorescently labeled antibody (see below, this Section) coupled withlight microscopic, flow cytometric, or fluorimetric detection. Suchtechniques are especially preferred if such tub gene products areexpressed on the cell surface.

The antibodies (or fragments thereof) useful in the present inventionmay, additionally, be employed histologically, as in immunofluorescenceor immunoelectron microscopy, for in situ detection of tub gene productsor conserved variants or peptide fragments thereof. In situ detectionmay be accomplished by removing a histological specimen from a patient,and applying thereto a labeled antibody of the present invention. Theantibody (or fragment) is preferably applied by overlaying the labeledantibody (or fragment) onto a biological sample. Through the use of sucha procedure, it is possible to determine not only the presence of thetub gene product, or conserved variants or peptide fragments, but alsoits distribution in the examined tissue. Using the present invention,those of ordinary skill will readily perceive that any of a wide varietyof histological methods (such as staining procedures) can be modified inorder to achieve such in situ detection.

Immunoassays for tub gene products or conserved variants or peptidefragments thereof will typically comprise incubating a sample, such as abiological fluid, a tissue extract, freshly harvested cells, or lysatesof cells which have been incubated in cell culture, in the presence of adetectably labeled antibody capable of identifying tub gene products orconserved variants or peptide fragments thereof, and detecting the boundantibody by any of a number of techniques well-known in the art.

The biological sample may be brought in contact with and immobilizedonto a solid phase support or carrier such as nitrocellulose, or othersolid support which is capable of immobilizing cells, cell particles orsoluble proteins. The support may then be washed with suitable buffersfollowed by treatment with the detectably labeled tub gene specificantibody. The solid phase support may then be washed with the buffer asecond time to remove unbound antibody. The amount of bound label onsolid support may then be detected by conventional means.

By “solid phase support or carrier” is intended any “support capable ofbinding an antigen or an antibody. Well-known supports or carriersinclude glass, polystyrene, polypropylene, polyethylene, dextran, nylon,amylases, natural and modified celluloses, polyacrylamides, gabbros, andmagnetite. The nature of the carrier can be either soluble to someextent or insoluble for the purposes of the present invention. Thesupport material may have virtually any possible structuralconfiguration so long as the coupled molecule is capable of binding toan antigen or antibody. Thus, thee support configuration may bespherical, as in a bead, or cylindrical, as in the inside surface of atest tube, or the external surface of a rod. Alternatively, the surfacemay be flat such as a sheet, test strip, etc. Preferred supports includepolystyrene beads. Those skilled in the art will know many othersuitable carriers for binding antibody or antigen, or will be able toascertain the same by use of routine experimentation.

The binding activity of a given lot of anti-tub gene product antibodymay be determined according to well known methods. Those skilled in theart will be able to determine operative and optimal assay conditions foreach determination by employing routine experimentation.

One of the ways in which the tub gene peptide-specific antibody can bedetectably labeled is by linking the same to an enzyme and use in anenzyme immunoassay (EIA) (Voller, A., “The Enzyme Linked ImmunosorbentAssay (ELISA)”, 1978, Diagnostic Horizons 2:1-7, MicrobiologicalAssociates Quarterly Publication, Walkersville, Md.); Voller, A. et al.,1978, J. Clin. Pathol. 31:507-520; Butler, J. E., 1981, Meth. Enzymol.73:482-523; Maggio, E. (ed.), 1980, Enzyme Immunoassay, CRC Press, BocaRaton, Fla.,; Ishikawa, E. et al., (eds.), 1981, Enzyme Immunoassay,Kgaku Shoin, Tokyo). The enzyme which is bound to the antibody willreact with an appropriate substrate, preferably a chromogenic substrate,in such a manner as to produce a chemical moiety which can be detected,for example, by spectrophotometric, fluorimetric or by visual means.Enzymes which can be used to detectably label the antibody include, butare not limited to, malate dehydrogenase, staphylococcal nuclease,delta-5-steroid isomerase, yeast alcohol dehydrogenase,alpha-glycerophosphate, dehydrogenase, triose phosphate isomerase,horseradish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, asparaginase, glucoseoxidase, beta-galactosidase, ribonuclease, urease, catalase,glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, glucoamylase andacetylcholinesterase. The detection can be accomplished by colorimetricmethods which employ a chromogenic substrate for the enzyme. Detectionmay also be accomplished by visual comparison of the extent of enzymaticreaction of a substrate in comparison with similarly prepared standards.

Detection may also be accomplished using any of a variety of otherimmunoassays. For example, by radioactively labeling the antibodies orantibody fragments, it is possible to detect tub gene peptides throughthe use of a radioimmunoassay (RIA) (see, for example, Weintraub, B.,Principles of Radioimmunoassays, Seventh Training Course on RadioligandAssay Techniques, The Endocrine Society, March, 1986, which isincorporated by reference herein). The radioactive isotope can bedetected by such means as the use of a gamma counter or a scintillationcounter or by autoradiography.

It is also possible to label the antibody with a fluorescent compound.When the fluorescently labeled antibody is exposed to light of theproper wave length, its presence can then be detected due tofluorescence. Among the most commonly used fluorescent labelingcompounds are fluorescein isothiocyanate, rhodamine, phycoerythrin,phycocyanin, allophycocyanin, o-phthaldehyde and fluorescamine.

The antibody can also be detectably labeled using fluorescence emittingmetals such as ¹⁵²Eu, or others of the lanthanide series. These metalscan be attached to the antibody using such metal chelating groups asdiethylenetriaminepentacetic acid (DTPA) or ethylenediaminetetraaceticacid (EDTA).

The antibody also can be detectably labeled by coupling it to achemiluminescent compound. The presence of the chemiluminescent-taggedantibody is then determined by detecting the presence of luminescencethat arises during the course of a chemical reaction. Examples ofparticularly useful chemiluminescent labeling compounds are luminol,isoluminol, theromatic acridinium ester, imidazole, acridinium salt andoxalate ester.

Likewise, a bioluminescent compound may be used to label the antibody ofthe present invention. Bioluminescence is a type of chemiluminescencefound in biological systems in, which a catalytic protein increases theefficiency of the chemiluminescent reaction. The presence of abioluminescent protein is determined by detecting the presence ofluminescence. Important bioluminescent compounds for purposes oflabeling are luciferin, luciferase and aequorin.

5.4.2. Screening Assays for Compounds that Modulate Tub Gene Activity

The following assays are designed to identify compounds that bind to tubgene products, bind to other intracellular proteins that interact with atub gene product, to compounds that interfere with the interaction ofthe tub gene product with other intracellular proteins and to compoundswhich modulate the activity of tub gene (i.e., modulate the level of tubgene expression and/or modulate the level of tub gene product activity).Assays may additionally be utilized which identify compounds which bindto tub gene regulatory sequences (e.g., promoter sequences). See e.g.,Platt, K. A., 1994, J. Biol. Chem. 269:28558-28562, which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety, which may modulate thelevel of tub gene expression. Compounds may include, but are not limitedto, small organic molecules which are able to cross the blood-brainbarrier, gain entry into an appropriate cell and affect expression ofthe tub gene or some other gene involved in the body weight regulatorypathway, or other intracellular proteins. Methods for the identificationof such intracellular proteins are described, below, in Section 5.4.2.2.Such intracellular proteins may be involved in the control and/orregulation of body weight. Further, among these compounds are compoundswhich affect the level of tub gene expression and/or tub gene productactivity and which can be used in the therapeutic treatment of bodyweight disorders, including obesity, cachexia and anorexia, asdescribed, below, in Section 5.4.3.

Compounds may include, but are not limited to, peptides such as, forexample, soluble peptides, including but not limited to, Ig-tailedfusion peptides, and members of random peptide libraries; (see, e.g.,Lam, K. S. et al., 1991, Nature 354:82-84; Houghten, R. et al., 1991,Nature 354:84-86), and combinatorial chemistry-derived molecular librarymade of D- and/or L-configuration amino acids, phosphopeptides(including, but not limited to members of random or partiallydegenerate, directed phosphopeptide libraries; see, e.g., Songyang, Z.et al., 1993, Cell 72:767-778), antibodies (including, but not limitedto, polyclonal, monoclonal, humanized, anti-idiotypic, chimeric orsingle chain antibodies, and FAb, F(ab′)₂ and FAb expression libraryfragments, and epitope-binding fragments thereof), and small organic orinorganic molecules.

Compounds identified via assays such as those described herein may beuseful, for example, in elaborating the biological function of the tubgene product, and for ameliorating body weight disorders. Assays fortesting the effectiveness of compounds, identified by, for example,techniques such as those described in Section 5.4.2.1-5.4.2.3, arediscussed, below, in Section 5.4.2.4.

5.4.2.1. In Vitro Screening Assays for Compounds that Bind to the TubGene Product

In vitro systems may be designed to identify compounds capable ofbinding the tub gene products of the invention. Compounds identified maybe useful, for example, in modulating the activity of wild type and/ormutant tub gene products, may be useful in elaborating the biologicalfunction of the tub gene product, may be utilized in screens foridentifying compounds that disrupt normal tub gene product interactions,or may in themselves disrupt such interactions.

The principle of the assays used to identify compounds that bind to thetub gene product involves preparing a reaction mixture of the tub geneproduct and the test compound under conditions and for a time sufficientto allow the two components to interact and bind, thus forming a complexwhich can be removed and/or detected in the reaction mixture. Theseassays can be conducted in a variety of ways. For example, one method toconduct such an assay would involve anchoring tub gene product or thetest substance onto a solid phase and detecting tub gene product/testcompound complexes anchored on the solid phase at the end of thereaction. In one embodiment of such a method, the tub gene product maybe anchored onto a solid surface, and the test compound, which is notanchored, may be labeled, either directly or indirectly.

In practice, microtiter plates may conveniently be utilized as the solidphase. The anchored component may be immobilized by non-covalent orcovalent attachments. Non-covalent attachment may be accomplished bysimply coating the solid surface with a solution of the protein anddrying. Alternatively, an immobilized antibody, preferably a monoclonalantibody, specific for the protein to be immobilized may be used toanchor the protein to the solid surface. The surfaces may be prepared inadvance and stored.

In order to conduct the assay, the nonimmobilized component is added tothe coated surface containing the anchored component. After the reactionis complete, unreacted components are removed (e g., by washing) underconditions such that any complexes formed will remain immobilized on thesolid surface. The detection of complexes anchored on the solid surfacecan be accomplished in a number of ways. Where the previouslynonimmobilized component is pre-labeled, the detection of labelimmobilized on the surface indicates that complexes were formed. Wherethe previously nonimmobilized component is not pre-labeled, an indirectlabel can be used to detect complexes anchored on the surface; e.g.,using a labeled antibody specific for the previously nonimmobilizedcomponent (the antibody, in turn, may be directly labeled or indirectlylabeled with a labeled anti-Ig antibody).

Alternatively, a reaction can be conducted in a liquid phase, thereaction products separated from unreacted components, and complexesdetected; e.g., using an immobilized antibody specific for tub geneproduct or the test compound to anchor any complexes formed in solution,and a labeled antibody specific for the other component of the possiblecomplex to detect anchored complexes.

5.4.2.2. Assays for Intracellular Proteins that Interact with the TubGene Product

Any method suitable for detecting protein—protein interactions may beemployed for identifying tub protein-intracellular protein interactions.

Among the traditional methods which may be employed areco-immunoprecipitation, crosslinking and co-purification throughgradients or chromatographic columns. Utilizing procedures such as theseallows for the identification of intracellular proteins which interactwith tub gene products. Once isolated, such an intracellular protein canbe identified and can, in turn, be used, in conjunction with standardtechniques, to identify proteins it interacts with. For example, atleast a portion of the amino acid sequence of the intracellular proteinwhich interacts with the tub gene product can be ascertained usingtechniques well known to those of skill in the art, such as via theEdman degradation technique (see, e.g., Creighton, 1983, “Proteins:Structures and Molecular Principles”, W.H. Freeman & Co., N.Y.,pp.34-49). The amino acid sequence obtained may be used as a guide forthe generation of oligonucleotide mixtures that can be used to screenfor gene sequences encoding such intracellular proteins. Screening madebe accomplished, for example, by standard hybridization or PCRtechniques. Techniques for the generation of oligonucleotide mixturesand the screening are well-known. (See, e.g., Ausubel, supra., and PCRProtocols: A Guide to Methods and Applications, 1990, Innis, M. et al.,eds. Academic Press, Inc., New York).

Additionally, methods may be employed which result in the simultaneousidentification of genes which encode the intracellular proteininteracting with the tub protein. These methods include, for example,probing expression libraries with labeled tub protein, using tub proteinin a manner similar to the well known technique of antibody probing ofλgt11 libraries.

One method which detects protein interactions in vivo, the two-hybridsystem, is described in detail for illustration only and not by way oflimitation. One version of this system has been described (Chien et al.,1991, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 88:9578-9582) and is commerciallyavailable from Clontech (Palo Alto, Calif.).

Briefly, utilizing such a system, plasmids are constructed that encodetwo hybrid proteins: one consists of the DNA-binding domain of atranscription activator protein fused to the tub gene product and theother consists of the transcription activator protein's activationdomain fused to an unknown protein that is encoded by a cDNA which hasbeen recombined into this plasmid as part of a cDNA library. TheDNA-binding domain fusion plasmid and the cDNA library are transformedinto a strain of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae that contains areporter gene (e.g., HBS or lacZ) whose regulatory region contains thetranscription activator's binding site. Either hybrid protein alonecannot. activate transcription of the reporter gene: the DNA-bindingdomain hybrid cannot because it does not provide activation function andthe activation domain hybrid cannot because it cannot localize to theactivator's binding sites. Interaction of the two hybrid proteinsreconstitutes the functional activator protein and results in expressionof the reporter gene, which is detected by an assay for the reportergene product.

The two-hybrid system or related methodology may be used to screenactivation domain libraries for proteins that interact with the “bait”gene product. By way of example, and not by way of limitation, tub geneproducts may be used as the bait gene product. Total genomic or cDNAsequences are fused to the DNA encoding an activation domain. Thislibrary and a plasmid encoding a hybrid of a bait tub gene product fusedto the DNA-binding domain are cotransformed into a yeast reporterstrain, and the resulting transformants are screened for those thatexpress the reporter gene. For example, and not by way of limitation, abait tub gene sequence, such as the 1.5 kb open reading frame of the tubgene, as depicted in FIG. 6 or FIG. 9 can be cloned into a vector suchthat it is translationally fused to the DNA encoding the DNA-bindingdomain of the GAL4 protein. These colonies are purified and the libraryplasmids responsible for reporter gene expression are isolated. DNAsequencing is then used to identify the proteins encoded by the libraryplasmids.

A cDNA library of the cell line from which proteins that interact withbait tub gene product are to be detected can be made using methodsroutinely practiced in the art. According to the particular systemdescribed herein, for example, the cDNA fragments can be inserted into avector such that they are translationally fused to the transcriptionalactivation domain of GAL4. This library can be co-transformed along withthe bait tub gene-GAL4 fusion plasmid into a yeast strain which containsa lacZ gene driven by a promoter which contains GAL4 activationsequence. A cDNA encoded protein, fused to GAL4 transcriptionalactivation domain, that interacts with bait tub gene product willreconstitute an active GAL4 protein and thereby drive expression of theHIS3 gene. Colonies which express HIS3 can be detected by their growthon petri dishes containing semi-solid agar based media lackinghistidine. The cDNA can then be purified from these strains, and used toproduce and isolate the bait tub gene-interacting protein usingtechniques routinely practiced in the art.

5.4.2.3. Assays for Compounds that Interfere with Tub GeneProduct/Intracellular Macromolecule Interaction

The tub gene products of the invention may, in vivo, interact with oneor more intracellular macromolecules, such as proteins. Suchmacromolecules may include, but are not limited to, nucleic acidmolecules and those proteins identified via methods such as thosedescribed, above, in Section 5.4.2.2. For purposes of this discussion,such intracellular macromolecules are referred to herein as “bindingpartners”. Compounds that disrupt tub binding in this way may be usefulin regulating the activity of the tub gene product, especially mutanttub gene products. Such compounds may include, but are not limited tomolecules such as peptides, and the like, as described, for example, inSection 5.4.2.1. above, which would be capable of gaining access to theintracellular tub gene product.

The basic principle of the assay systems used to identify compounds thatinterfere with the interaction between the tub gene product and itsintracellular binding partner or partners involves preparing a reactionmixture containing the tub gene product, and the binding partner underconditions and for a time sufficient to allow the two to interact andbind, thus forming a complex. In order to test a compound for inhibitoryactivity, the reaction mixture is prepared in the presence and absenceof the test compound. The test compound may be initially included in thereaction mixture, or may be added at a time subsequent to the additionof tub gene product and its intracellular binding partner. Controlreaction mixtures are incubated without the test compound or with aplacebo. The formation of any complexes between the tub gene protein andthe intracellular binding partner is then detected. The formation of acomplex in the control reaction, but not in the reaction mixturecontaining the test compound, indicates that the compound interfereswith the interaction of the tub gene protein and the interactive bindingpartner. Additionally, complex formation within reaction mixturescontaining the test compound and normal tub gene protein may also becompared to complex formation within reaction mixtures containing thetest compound and a mutant tub gene protein. This comparison may beimportant in those cases wherein it is desirable to identify compoundsthat disrupt interactions of mutant but not normal tub gene proteins.

The assay for compounds that interfere with the interaction of the tubgene products and binding partners can be conducted in a heterogeneousor homogeneous format. Heterogeneous assays involve anchoring either thetub gene product or the binding partner onto a solid phase and detectingcomplexes anchored on the solid phase at the end of the reaction. Inhomogeneous assays, the entire reaction is carried out in a liquidphase. In either approach, the order of addition of reactants can bevaried to obtain different information about the compounds being tested.For example, test compounds that interfere with the interaction betweenthe tub gene products and the binding partners, e.g., by competition,can be identified by conducting the reaction in the presence of the testsubstance; i.e., by adding the test substance to the reaction mixtureprior to or simultaneously with the tub gene protein and interactiveintracellular binding partner. Alternatively, test compounds thatdisrupt preformed complexes, e.g. compounds with higher bindingconstants that displace one of the components from the complex, can betested by adding the test compound to the. reaction mixture aftercomplexes have been formed. The various formats are described brieflybelow.

In a heterogeneous assay system, either the tub gene product or theinteractive intracellular binding partner, is anchored onto a solidsurface, while the non-anchored species is labeled, either directly orindirectly. In practice, microtiter plates are conveniently utilized.The anchored species may be immobilized by non-covalent or covalentattachments. Non-covalent attachment may be accomplished simply bycoating the solid surface with a solution of the tub gene product orbinding partner and drying. Alternatively, an immobilized antibodyspecific for the species to be anchored may be used to anchor thespecies to the solid surface. The surfaces may be prepared in advanceand stored.

In order to conduct the assay, the partner of the immobilized species isexposed to the coated surface with or without the test compound. Afterthe reaction is complete, unreacted components are removed (e.g., bywashing) and any complexes formed will remain immobilized on the solidsurface. The detection of complexes anchored on the solid surface can beaccomplished in a number of ways. Where the non-immobilized species ispre-labeled, the detection of label immobilized on the surface indicatesthat complexes were formed. Where the non-immobilized species is notpre-labeled, an indirect label can be used to detect complexes anchoredon the surface; e.g., using a labeled antibody specific for theinitially non-immobilized species (the antibody, in turn, may bedirectly labeled or indirectly labeled with a labeled anti-Ig antibody).Depending upon the order of addition of reaction components, testcompounds which inhibit complex formation or which disrupt preformedcomplexes can be detected.

Alternatively, the reaction can be conducted in a liquid phase in thepresence or absence of the test compound, the reaction productsseparated from unreacted components, and complexes detected; e.g., usingan immobilized antibody specific for one of the binding components toanchor any complexes formed in solution, and a labeled antibody specificfor the other partner to detect anchored complexes. Again, dependingupon the order of addition of reactants to the liquid phase, testcompounds which inhibit complex or which disrupt preformed complexes canbe identified.

In an alternate embodiment of the invention, a homogeneous assay can beused. In this approach, a preformed complex of the tub gene protein andthe interactive intracellular binding partner is prepared in whicheither the tub gene product or its binding partners is labeled, but thesignal generated by the label is quenched due to complex formation (see,e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,496 by Rubenstein which utilizes this approachfor immunoassays). The addition of a test substance that competes withand displaces one of the species from the preformed complex will resultin the generation of a signal above background. In this way, testsubstances which disrupt tub gene protein/intracellular binding partnerinteraction can be identified.

In a particular embodiment, the tub gene product can be prepared forimmobilization using recombinant DNA techniques described in Section5.2. above. For example, the tub coding region can be fused to aglutathione-S-transferase (GST) gene using a fusion vector, such aspGEX-5X-1, in such a manner that its binding activity is maintained inthe resulting fusion protein. The interactive intracellular bindingpartner can be purified and used to raise a monoclonal antibody, usingmethods routinely practiced in the art and described above, in Section5.3. This antibody can be labeled with the radioactive isotope ¹²⁵I, forexample, by methods routinely practiced in the art. In a heterogeneousassay, e.g., the GST-tub fusion protein can be anchored toglutathione-agarose beads. The interactive intracellular binding partnercan then be added in the presence or absence of the test compound in amanner that allows interaction and binding to occur. At the end of thereaction period, unbound material can be washed away, and the labeledmonoclonal antibody can be added to the system and allowed to bind tothe complexed components. The interaction between the tub gene proteinand the interactive intracellular binding partner can be detected bymeasuring the amount of radioactivity that remains associated with theglutathione-agarose beads. A successful inhibition of the interaction bythe test compound will result in a decrease in measured radioactivity.

Alternatively, the GST-tub gene fusion protein and the interactiveintracellular binding partner can be mixed together in liquid in theabsence of the solid glutathione-agarose beads. The test compound can beadded either during or after the species are allowed to interact. Thismixture can then be added to the glutathione-agarose beads and unboundmaterial is washed away. Again the extent of inhibition of the tub geneproduct/binding partner interaction can be detected by adding thelabeled antibody and measuring the radioactivity associated with thebeads.

In another embodiment of the invention, these same techniques can beemployed using peptide fragments that correspond to the binding domainsof the tub protein and/or the interactive intracellular or bindingpartner (in cases where the binding partner is a protein), in place ofone or both of the full length proteins. Any number of methods routinelypracticed in the art can be used to identify and isolate the bindingsites. These methods include, but are not limited to, mutagenesis of thegene encoding one of the proteins and screening for disruption ofbinding in a co-immunoprecipitation assay. Compensating mutations in thegene encoding the second species in the complex can then be selected.Sequence analysis of the genes encoding the respective proteins willreveal the mutations that correspond to the region of the proteininvolved in interactive binding. Alternatively, one protein can beanchored to a solid surface using methods described in this Sectionabove, and allowed to interact with and bind to its labeled bindingpartner, which has been treated with a proteolytic enzyme, such astrypsin. After washing, a short, labeled peptide comprising the bindingdomain may remain associated with the solid material, which can beisolated and identified by amino acid sequencing. Also, once the genecoding for the intracellular binding partner is obtained, short genesegments can be engineered to express peptide fragments of the protein,which can then be tested for binding activity and purified orsynthesized.

For example, and not by way of limitation, a tub gene product can beanchored to a solid material as described, above, in this Section bymaking a GST-tub fusion protein and allowing it to bind to glutathioneagarose beads. The interactive intracellular binding partner can belabeled with a radioactive isotope, such as ³⁵S, and cleaved with aproteolytic enzyme such as trypsin. Cleavage products can then be addedto the anchored GST-tub fusion protein and allowed to bind. Afterwashing away unbound peptides, labeled bound material, representing theintracellular binding partner binding domain, can be eluted, purified,and analyzed for amino acid sequence by well-known methods. Peptides soidentified can be produced synthetically or fused to appropriatefacilitative proteins using recombinant DNA technology.

5.4.2.4. Assays for Identification of Compounds that Ameliorate BodyWeight Disorders

Compounds, including but not limited to binding compounds identified viaassay techniques such as those described, above, in Sections5.4.2.1-5.4.2.3, can be tested for the ability to ameliorate body weightdisorder symptoms, including obesity. It should be noted that althoughtub gene products are intracellular molecules which are not secreted andhave no transmembrane component, the assays described herein canidentify compounds which affect tub gene activity by either affectingtub gene expression or by affecting the level of tub gene productactivity. For example, compounds may be identified which are involved inanother step in the pathway in which the tub gene and/or tub geneproduct is involved and, by affecting this same pathway may modulate theaffect of tub on the development of body weight disorders. Suchcompounds can be used as part of a therapeutic method for the treatmentof body weight disorders.

Described below are cell-based and animal model-based assays for theidentification of compounds exhibiting such an ability to amelioratebody weight disorder symptoms.

First, cell-based systems can be used to identify compounds which mayact to ameliorate body weight disorder symptoms. Such cell systems caninclude, for example, recombinant or non-recombinant cell, such as celllines, which express the tub gene. For example, hypothalamus cells, suchas, for example GH-1 (Melcang; R. C. et al., 1995, Endocrinology136:679-686) and GN (Radovick, S. et al., 1991, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.USA 88:3402-3406) hypothalamic cell lines can be used.

In utilizing such cell systems, cells may be exposed to a compound,suspected of exhibiting an ability to ameliorate body weight disordersymptoms, at a sufficient concentration and for a time sufficient toelicit such an amelioration of body weight disorder symptoms in theexposed cells. After exposure, the cells can be assayed to measurealterations in the expression of the tub gene, e.g., by assaying celllysates for tub mRNA transcripts (e.g., by Northern analysis) or for tubprotein expressed in the cell; compounds which increase expression ofthe tub gene are good candidates as therapeutics. Alternatively, thecells are examined to determine whether one or more body weightdisorder-like cellular phenotypes has been altered to resemble a morenormal or more wild type, non-body weight disorder phenotype, or aphenotype more likely to produce a lower incidence or severity ofdisorder symptoms.

In addition, animal-based body weight disorder systems, which mayinclude, for example tub mice, may be used to identify compounds capableof ameliorating body weight disorder-like symptoms. Such animal modelsmay be used as test substrates for the identification of drugs,pharmaceuticals, therapies and interventions which may be effective intreating such disorders. For example, animal models may be exposed to acompound, suspected of exhibiting an ability to ameliorate body weightdisorder symptoms, at a sufficient concentration and for a timesufficient to elicit such an amelioration of body weight disordersymptoms in the exposed animals. The response of the animals to theexposure may be monitored by assessing the reversal of disordersassociated with body weight disorders such as obesity. With regard tointervention, any treatments which reverse any aspect of body weightdisorder-like symptoms should be considered as candidates for human bodyweight disorder therapeutic intervention. Dosages of test agents may bedetermined by deriving dose response curves, as discussed in Section5.5.1, below.

5.4.3. Compounds and Methods for the Treatment of Body Weight

Described below are methods and compositions whereby body weightincluding body weight disorders, including obesity, cachexia andanorexia may be treated. Because a loss of normal tub gene productfunction results in the development of an obese phenotype, an increasein tub gene product activity would facilitate progress towards a normalbody weight state in individuals exhibiting a deficient level of tubgene expression and/or tub gene product activity.

Alternatively, symptoms of certain body weight disorders such as, forexample, cachexia, which involve a lower than normal body weightphenotype, may be ameliorated by decreasing the level of tub geneexpression and/or tub gene product activity. For example, tub genesequences may be utilized in conjunction with well-known antisense, gene“knock-out,” ribozyme and/or triple helix methods to decrease the levelof tub gene expression. Such methods can also be useful for agriculturalapplications in which a more favorable fat:level body mass ratio. (i.e.,a decreased ratio) is desired.

With respect to an increase in the level of normal tub gene expressionand/or tub gene product activity, tub gene nucleic acid sequences,described, above, in Section 5.l, can, for example, be utilized for thetreatment of body weight disorders, including obesity. Such treatmentcan be administered, for example, in the form of gene replacementtherapy. Specifically, one or more copies of a normal tub gene or aportion of the tub gene that directs the production of a tub geneproduct exhibiting normal tub gene function, may be inserted into theappropriate cells within a patient, using vectors which include, but arenot limited to adenovirus, adeno-associated virus, and retrovirusvectors, in addition to other particles that introduce DNA into cells,such as lipdsomes.

Because the tub gene is expressed in the brain, including thehypothalamus, such gene replacement therapy techniques should be capabledelivering tub gene sequences to these cell types within patients. Thus,the techniques for delivery of tub gene sequences should be able toreadily cross the blood-brain barrier, which are well known to those ofskill in the art (see, e.g., PCT application, publication No.WO89/10134, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety),or, alternatively, should involve direct administration of such tub genesequences to the site of the cells in which the tub gene sequences areto be expressed. With respect to delivery which is capable of crossingthe blood-brain barrier, viral vectors such as, for example, thosedescribed above, are preferable.

Additional methods which may be utilized to increase the overall levelof tub gene expression and/or tub gene product activity include theintroduction of appropriate tub-expressing cells, preferably autologouscells, into a patient at positions and in numbers which are sufficientto ameliorate the symptoms of body weight disorders, including obesity.Such cells may be either recombinant or non-recombinant.

Among the cells which can be administered to increase the overall levelof tub gene expression in a patient are normal cells, preferablyhypothalamus cells, which express the tub gene. Among the hypothalamiccells which can be administered are hypothalamic cell lines, whichinclude, but are not limited to the GT1-1 cell line (Melcangi, R. C. etal., 1995, Endocrin. 136:679-686).

Alternatively, cells, preferably autologous cells, can be engineered toexpress tub gene sequences which may then be introduced into a patientin positions appropriate for the amelioration of body weight disordersymptoms. Alternately, cells which express the tub gene in a wild typein MHC matched individuals, i.e., non-tub individual, and may include,for example, hypothalamic cells. The expression of the tub genesequences is controlled by the appropriate gene regulatory sequences toallow such expression in the necessary cell types. Such gene regulatorysequences are well known to the skilled artisan. Such cell-based genetherapy techniques are well known to those skilled in the art, see,e.g., Anderson, F., U.S. Pat. No. 5,399,349.

When the cells to be administered are non-autologous cells, they can beadministered using well known techniques which prevent a host immuneresponse against the introduced cells from developing. For example, thecells may be introduced in an encapsulated form which, while allowingfor an exchange of components with the immediate extracellularenvironment, does not allow the introduced cells to be recognized by thehost immune system.

Additionally, compounds, such as those identified via techniques such asthose described, above, in Section 5.4.2, which are capable ofmodulating tub gene product activity can be administered using standardtechniques which are well known to those of skill in the art. Ininstances in which the compounds to be administered are to involve aninteraction with brain cell types such as, for example, hypothalamiccell types, the administration techniques should include well known oneswhich allow for a crossing of the blood-brain barrier.

5.5. Pharmaceutical Preparations and Methods of Administration

The compounds that are determined to affect tub gene expression or geneproduct activity can be administered to a patient at therapeuticallyeffective doses to treat or ameliorate weight disorders, includingobesity. A therapeutically effective dose refers to that amount of thecompound sufficient to result in amelioration of symptoms of body weightdisorders.

5.5.1. Effective Dose

Toxicity and therapeutic efficacy of such compounds can be determined bystandard pharmaceutical procedures in cell cultures or experimentalanimals, e.g., for determining the LD₅₀ (the dose lethal to 50% of thepopulation) and the ED₅₀ (the dose therapeutically effective in 50% ofthe population). The dose ratio between toxic and therapeutic effects isthe therapeutic index and it can be expressed as the ratio LD₅₀/ED₅₀.Compounds which exhibit large therapeutic indices are preferred. Whilecompounds that exhibit toxic side effects may be used, care should betaken to design a delivery system that targets such compounds to thesite of affected tissue in order to minimize potential damage touninfected cells and, thereby, reduce side effects.

The data obtained from the cell culture assays and animal studies can beused in formulating a range of dosage for use in humans. The dosage ofsuch compounds lies preferably within a range of circulatingconcentrations that include the ED₅₀ with little or no toxicity. Thedosage may vary within this range depending upon the dosage formemployed and the route of administration utilized. For any compound usedin the method of the invention, the therapeutically effective dose canbe estimated initially from cell culture assays. A dose may beformulated in animal models to achieve a circulating plasmaconcentration range that includes the IC₅₀ i.e., the concentration ofthe test compound which achieves a half-maximal inhibition of symptoms)as determined in cell culture. Such information can be used to moreaccurately determine useful doses in humans. Levels in plasma may bemeasured, for example, by high performance liquid chromatography.

5.5.2. Formulations and Use

Pharmaceutical compositions for use in accordance with the presentinvention may be formulated in conventional manner using one or morephysiologically acceptable carriers or excipients.

Thus, the compounds and their physiologically acceptable salts andsolvates may be formulated for administration by inhalation orinsufflation (either through the mouth or the nose) or oral, buccal,parenteral or rectal administration.

For oral administration, the pharmaceutical compositions may take theform of, for example, tablets or capsules prepared by conventional meanswith pharmaceutically acceptable excipients such as binding agents(e.g., pregelatinised maize starch, polyvinylpyrrolidone orhydroxypropyl methylcellulose); fillers (e.g., lactose, microcrystallinecellulose or calcium hydrogen phosphate); lubricants (e.g., magnesiumstearate, talc or silica); disintegrants (e.g., potato starch or sodiumstarch glycolate); or wetting agents (e.g., sodium lauryl sulphate). Thetablets may be coated by methods well known in the art. Liquidpreparations for oral administration may take the form of, for example,solutions, syrups or suspensions, or they may be presented as a dryproduct for constitution with water or other suitable vehicle beforeuse. Such liquid preparations may be prepared by conventional means withpharmaceutically acceptable additives such as suspending agents (e.g.,sorbitol syrup, cellulose derivatives or hydrogenated edible fats);emulsifying agents (e.g., lecithin or acacia); non-aqueous vehicles(e.g., almond oil, oily esters, ethyl alcohol or fractionated vegetableoils); and preservatives (e.g., methyl or propyl-p-hydroxybenzoates orsorbic acid). The preparations may also contain buffer salts, flavoring,coloring and sweetening agents as appropriate.

Preparations for oral administration may be suitably formulated to givecontrolled release of the active compound.

For buccal administration the compositions may take the form of tabletsor lozenges formulated in conventional manner.

For administration by inhalation, the compounds for use according to thepresent invention are conveniently delivered in the form of an aerosolspray presentation from pressurized packs or a nebuliser, with the useof a suitable propellant, e.g., dichlorodifluoromethane,trichlorofluoromethane, dichlorotetrafluoroethane, carbon dioxide orother suitable gas. In the case of a pressurized aerosol the dosage unitmay be determined by providing a valve to deliver a metered amount.Capsules and cartridges of e.g. gelatin for use in an inhaler orinsufflator may be formulated containing a powder mix of the compoundand a suitable powder base such as lactose or starch.

The compounds may be formulated for parenteral administration byinjection, e.g., by bolus injection or continuous infusion. Formulationsfor injection may be presented in unit dosage form, e.g., in ampoules orin multi-dose containers, with an added preservative. The compositionsmay take such forms as suspensions, solutions or emulsions in oily oraqueous vehicles, and may contain formulatory agents such as suspending,stabilizing and/or dispersing agents. Alternatively, the activeingredient may be in powder form for constitution with a suitablevehicle, e.g., sterile pyrogen-free water, before use.

The compounds may also be formulated in rectal compositions such assuppositories or retention enemas, e.g., containing conventionalsuppository bases such as cocoa butter or other glycerides.

In addition to the formulations described previously, the compounds mayalso be formulated as a depot preparation. Such long acting formulationsmay be administered by implantation (for example subcutaneously orintramuscularly) or by intramuscular injection. Thus, for example, thecompounds may be formulated with suitable polymeric or hydrophobicmaterials (for example as an emulsion in an acceptable oil) or ionexchange resins, or as sparingly soluble derivatives, for example, as asparingly soluble salt.

The compositions may, if desired, be presented in a pack or dispenserdevice which may contain one or more unit dosage forms containing theactive ingredient. The pack may for example comprise metal or plasticfoil, such as a blister pack. The pack or dispenser device may beaccompanied by instructions for administration.

6.EXAMPLE Genetic Mapping of the Tub Locus

In the Example presented herein; studies are described which, first,define the genetic interval within which the tub gene lies, and, second,successfully narrow the interval to approximately 0.25 cM.

6.1. Materials and Methods

The tubby phenotype

The tubby phenotype was assessed by weighing the mice. Females weighingless than 35 grams at 150 days were classified as normal (i.e., either+/+ or tub/+), while those weighing greater than 43 grams were typed astub/tub. Males weighing more than 55 grams at 150 days were classifiedas tub/tub, while males weighing less than 55 grams were classified asunknown.

The markers used to genotype the crosses were those identified andmapped at the Whitehead Institute at the Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology (Dietrich et al., 1992, Genetics 131:423-447).

The European backcross mapping panel (Breen et al., 1994, Human Mol.Genet. 3:621-627), which consists of a C57BL/6J ×Mus Spretus backcross,was used to order markers within the tub gene interval.

Hbb protein polymorphism typing is described in Whitney, J. B. III,1978, Biochem. Genet. 16:667-672.

Mouse crosses were performed according to standard procedures.

6.2. Results

The murine tub gene had previously been mapped to 2.4 cM+/−1.4 cM distalof the hemoglobin beta locus (Hbb) on mouse chromosome 7 (Jones, J. M.et al., 1992, Genomics 14:197-199). 2.4 cM represents a genetic distancemeasurement corresponding to 3 observed genetic crossovers in 125opportunities. On average, in the mouse genome, this is equivalent to aphysical distance of approximately 4.8 million base pairs. This level ofgenetic resolution, however, was not satisfactory for the cloning of thetub gene. Further, the region of chromosome 7 containing the tub genewas not well defined, and no defined markers existed which flanked thetub locus.

Described herein, therefore, are genetic crosses which: 1) define thechromosomal region surrounding the tub gene, and 2) narrow the intervalwithin which the tub gene is determined to lie to 0.25 cM.

Specifically, two large ,crosses segregating the tubby phenotype wereset up and performed, and were typed with available genetic markersknown to map within the relevant region of chromosome 7.

First, an intercross of [C57BL/6J-tub×DBA/2J] F₁ hybrid mice was set up.These hybrid mice were the progeny derived from the mating of two inbredstains, c57BL/6J-tub/tub and DBA/2J-+/+. In total, 417 F₂ progeny,representing 838 independent meioses, were analyzed. Typing allinformative markers against this cross identified a genomic region ofapproximately 4 megabases between the markers D7Mit17 and D7Mit281 whichcontained the tub gene. Two F₂ progeny showed recombination eventsbetween D7Mit17 and the tub locus, thereby establishing this marker asproximal to the tub locus. Five recombinant F₂ progeny demonstrated thatthe tub locus lies proximal to the D7Mit281 marker, thus placing the tublocus between the D7Mit17 and D7Mit281 markers, as shown in FIG. 1. Thedistance between the markers D7Mit17 and D7Mit281 was determined to beabout 2.0 CM, thereby narrowing the interval within which the tub genemust lie to this 2.0 cM region.

The tub genetic interval was further narrowed by exploiting a by productof the way in which tub stock is maintained tub heterozygotes must beidentified in order to easily maintain the stock because tub homozygoteshave reduced fertility. In order to maintain such heterozygotes, aC57BL/6J-tub strain was crossed with the congenic C57BL/6J-Hbb^(P)strain. This congenic strain is presumed to be genetically identical tothe C57BL/6J strain except for a genomic segment from a wild mousestrain surrounding and including the Ebb locus. As a result, theC57BL/GJ-Hbb” strain has an Hbb allele (Hbb^(P)).which can bedistinguished electrophoretically from the C57BL/6J Hbb allele(Hbb^(S)). Because the Hbb locus is closely linked to the tub locus,those animals found to be Hbb^(P)/Hbb^(S) were presumed to beheterozygous at the tub locus as well (a subset of animals were testedfor the tubby phenotype later, to assure that no recombination betweenthe Hbb and tub loci had taken place).

Because the two markers under selection for heterozygosity in such amaintenance scheme are Hbb and tub, the genomic region between these twoloci also remains heterozygous as the stock is propagated. However, witheach successive generation, this region will narrow, and the regionoutside this interval will become homozygous for CS7BL/6J alleles.

By genotyping of the parental strains C57BL/6J and C57BL/6J-Hbb^(P), theboundaries of the original congenic interval surrounding the Hbb locuswere established. Proximal of the tub locus, the congenic intervalincludes the markers D7Mit17, 39, 33, 37 and 38. The congenic intervalextends distally beyond the marker D7Mit222 and includes the markersD7Mit130 and 53.

The genotyping of the C57BL/6J-tub+-Hbb^(S)/Hbb^(P) strains generatedherein, led to the finding that the markers D7Mit39, 53 and 22 werehomozygous for C57BL/6J alleles in each of the animals of this strainwhich were tested. This showed that the congenic interval had beennarrowed, through subsequent generations, to an interval between D7Mit39and D7Mit53 (D7Mit39 is 0.3 cM proximal to D7Mit17). Because the tublocus is, by necessity, heterozygous in these animals, it must also,therefore, lie within this D7Mit39-to-D7Mit53. interval. Based on thetyping of 982 progeny of the European backcross mapping panel (Breen etal., 1994, Human Mol. Genet. 3:621-627), this interval was estimated tobe approximately 0.5 cM.

Next, the tub maintenance stock was used as a cross. Becauseheterozygous mice of this stock (CS7BL/6J-tub/+) were heterozygous formarkers within the congenic interval, such a cross represented an F₁intercross segregating tubby in a manner analogous to the tub DBA/2Jintercross. 394 meioses were genotyped and a single recombinant mousewas identified, demonstrating that the tub locus lies proximal to theD7Mit130 marker. Thus, at this point in the genetic mapping, theproximal boundary of the tub interval was D7Mit17, as defined by therecombinants isolated from the [CS7BL/6J-tub×DBA/2J] F₁ intercross andthe distal boundary of the tub interval was D7Mit130 , as shown by therecombinant of this C57BL/6J-tub/+intercross. The total number ofmeioses genotyped at this point was 1232: 838 meioses in the[C57BL/6J-tub×DBA/2J] F₁ intercross and 394 meioses in the maintenancestock intercross.

The size of this region was estimated to be approximately 0.25 cM on theEuropean backcross panel. On average in the mouse genome, such a geneticdistance corresponds to a physical distance of approximately 500 kb.This finding led to efforts to clone the intervening DNA in an attemptto isolate the tub gene.

7. EXAMPLE Physical Mapping of the Tub Gene Interval

As a step toward identifying the tub gene, the Example presented hereindescribes the physical mapping of the D7Mit17 to D7Mit53 interval withinwhich the tub gene was determined to lie.

7.1. Materials and Methods

Yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) libraries

Two mouse genomic YAC libraries were screened in an effort to identifyspecific YACs containing genomic DNA from the tub region. The first YAClibrary, the Whitehead Mouse YAC Library I, was obtained from ResearchGenetics (Huntsville, Ala.). The second YAC library, the St. Mary's/ICRFYAC library, was a composite library made of YACs constructed at St.Mary's Hospital (London, England) and of YACs constructed at theImperial Cancer Research Fund laboratories and it was obtained from St.Mary's Hospital.

The YAC libraries were screened by PCR amplification of DNA poolsrepresenting the libraries. A description of a screening protocol can befound in Research Genetics Catalog No. 95020.

The terminal sequences of the YACs were isolated by vectorette PCRaccording to Riley et al., 1990, Nuel. Acids Res. 18:2887-2890).Sequencing was performed according to standard procedures.

YAC ends were mapped according to the protocol described by Tuffrey etal., 1993, Hum. Mut. 2:368-374 for single-stranded conformationalpolymorphism (SSCP) analysis, using SSCPs identified between C57BL/GJand Mus spretus (the two mouse strains used to generate the EuropeanBackcross mapping panel). Utilizing the YAC end SSCPs it was possible todetermine that the ends of the YACs mapped between the D7Mit17 andD7Mit53 markers.

P1 bacteriophage

A mouse genomic P1 bacteriophage library (Pierce, J. C. et al., 1992,Mamm. Genome 3:550-558) was screened using the Genome Systems screeningservice. For screening, the ura end of the M72 YAC (M72R) was identifiedvia vectorette PCR (Riley et al., 1990, Nucl. Acids Res. 18:2887-2890).M72R was sequenced and two PCR fragments were chosen from this sequence,as shown below:

M72R-f: 5′-TGC GCA GAA ACA ATC ACC TA-3′ (SEQ ID NO:40); and

M72R-r: 5′-CAA GAC GTG AAC CTG GA-3′ (SEQ ID NO:41)

The two primers amplify a 129 bp fragment from mouse genomic DNA. Theprimers were used by Genome Systems screening service to screen themouse genomic P1 library.

Bacterial Artificial Chromosomes (BACs)

A MIT/Research mouse BAC library obtained from Research Genetics(Catalog No. 96023) was screened according to manufacturer's suggestedscreening protocol.

7.2 Results

Described herein are results which describe the physical mapping of thetub region. This region is shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, genetic markersare indicated above the top line, while YACs spanning the region areshown below this. The checkered P1 and BAC clones were analyzed bysequence sampling and exon trapping (see Section 8, below). Overlapsbetween clones were identified by PCR amplification of clones withphysical markers in the region. The tub gene, as described, below, inthis section, was mapped between D7Mit17 and D7Mit53.

The markers D7Mit 127, 219, 63, 280, 236 and 130 were mapped between theD7Mit17 and D7Mit53 markers on the European Backcross panel (Breen etal., 1994, Human Mol. Genet. 3:621-627). These markers, including theD7Mit17 and D7Mit53 markers, were used, therefore, to screen the MIT YAClibrary.

Screening with these markers resulted in the identification of a set ofYACs which constituted two contigs. Specifically, the contig aroundD7Mit17 included YACs MGS, M70 and M72, while the contig around D7Mit53included M49, M79 and M31.

In order to clone the gap between the two YAC contigs, physical PCRmarkers at the ends of the YACs were established, via vectorette PCR(Riley, 1990, Nucl. Acids Res. 18:2887-2890), with which to rescreen theYAC library. The resulting PCR products were sequenced and PCR screeningprimers were chosen. The trp ends of YACs M70 and M31 were isolated (trpends will be referred to herein as the left end of the YACs, e.g., M70L,while the ura ends will be referred to herein as the right ends), andwere genetically mapped, as described, above, in Section 6.1, to the tubregion of mouse tchromosome 7 in order to show that they were notderived from chimeric YACS. These ends were then used to screen the St.Mary's/ICRF YAC library.

One YAC, M84, was identified by both M70L and M31L. Thus, a singlecontig spanning the D7Mit17 to D7Mit53 was established. The minimalcontig consisted of M65, M72, M84, M31, M79 and M49, as shown in FIG. 1.

In order'to further aid in gene identification and to confirm theintegrity of the YAC contig described above, P1 bacteriophage andbacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) were established for theinterval between D7Mit17 and D7Mit130. These P1 clones and BACs overlapto form three contigs separated by two gaps, as shown in FIG. 1.

8. EXAMPLE Identification of a Candidate Tub Gene

In the Example presented herein, a gene is identified, via exon trappingand sequence sampling, within the cloned DNA described in the Examplepresented, above, in Section 7, which corresponds to a candidate tubgene. Specifically, Section 8.1 describes the exon trapping andsequencing analyses, while Section 8.2 describes the cloning of putativetub gene cDNA clones.

8.1. Exon Trapping and Sequence Sampling of Tub Gene Interval DNAMaterials and Methods

Eleven P1 (P1, P2, P3, P4, P6, P7, P8, P10, P11, P13 and P14) and twelveBAC (B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, U7, B9, B12, B13, B14 AND B15) clones weresubcloned into the D-pSPL3, vector, exon trapped and sequence sampled,as described below.

Exon trapping

The exon trapping analysis was performed using Gibco BRL Exon TrappingSystem (Cat. No. 18449-017) and using the D-pSPL3 vector, a modifiedversion of the pSPL3 vector (Gibco BRL Life Sciences). In this system,exons are trapped from genomic DNA subcloned into the vector as a resultof the interaction between the vector splice site and splice sitesflanking exons in the genomic DNA.

D-pSPL3 was derived from the splicing vector pSPL3 (Gibco BRL LifeSciences) by deletion of the NdeI (1119) NheI (1976) fragment in the HIVtat intron to eliminate the cryptic splice-donor site at position 1134in the pSPL3 sequence. Stocks of BamHI-cut and PstI-cut D-pSPL3 DNA wereprepared by digesting 50-100 μg DNA with the corresponding enzyme anddephosphorylating the linearized vector with calf intestinal alkalinephosphatase as specified by the manufacturers (New England Biolabs andBoerhinger Mannheim, respectively). The linearized vector was purifiedaway from uncut plasmid DNA by agarose gel electrophoresis andelectroelution and assayed to assess the level of uncut and self-ligatedvector as described elsewhere (Pulido and Duyk, 1994, in CurrentProtocols in Human Genetics, Wiley Pub., pp 2.2.1-2.3.1).

Briefly, P1 and BAC clone DNA was prepared from overnight cultures (100ml LB/kanamycin 25 μg/ml) by standard alkaline lysis, treated with RNaseA, purified by phenol/chloroform/isoamyl alcohol (25:24:1) extraction,ethanol precipitated, rinsed in 70% ethanol, dried and resuspended in400 μl deionized water.

5-10 μg P1/BAC DNA was cut with either BamHI and BglII, or PstI, asspecified by the manufacturer.(New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.). Thedigested DNA was phenol extracted, ethanol precipitated and resuspendedin 50 μl deionized water.

Exon trapping was then completed as described in the Gibco BRL ExonTrapping Manual. Briefly, the D-pSPL3 clones were transfected into COS-7cells. RNA was isolated and first strand cDNA was synthesized. Tworounds of nested PCR specifically amplified transcripts derived from theD-pSPL3 clones. These PCR products were cloned into the vector pAMP10.Clones from this pAMP10 library of trapped fragments were then analyzedby PCR to determine insert sizes. Clones with insert sizes greater than150 bp were sequenced using M13 forward and reverse primers. One of theD-pSPL3 subclones was designated ium008p004, and was sequenced.

A 90 bp fragment, designated P8X1, was PCR amplified using the sequenceof this subclone insert. The P8X1 fragment was generated using two PCRprimers which were designed using the ium008p004 sequence as follows:

P8X1F1: 5′-GCG GAT ACA GAC TCT CTC AT-3′ (SEQ ID NO:42)

P8X1R1: 5′-GAG GAC AAA TGT CCT AGG CT-3′ (SEQ ID NO:45)

The 90 bp P8X1 DNA fragment was PCR amplified from first strand cDNAmade from CS7BL/6J mouse brain RNA. Standard cDNA synthesis and PCRprocedures were utilized.

Sequence sampling

Sequence sampling is a technique for rapidly determining whether codingsequences were present in a nucleic acid sample of interest (SeeClaverie, J. M., 1994, Genomics 23:575-581). The inserts in D-pSPL3clones described above were sequenced in both orientations using thefollowing primers:

SPL3A: 5′-CAT GCT CCT TGG GAT GT-3′ (SEQ ID NO:44)

SPL3C: 5′-TGA GGA TTG CTT AAA GA-3′ (SEQ ID NO:45)

After vector trimming and quality assessment, the resulting sequenceswere compared to nucleic acid and protein databases using BLASTalgorithms (Altschul, S. F. et al., 1990, J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-410).

Results

In order to look for genes within the cloned DNA, described, above, inSection 7, within the interval containing the tub gene, P1 and BACclones were subcloned into the D-pSPL3 vector and exon trapped andsample sequenced, as described, above, in the Materials and Methodsportion of this section. One of the D-pSPL3 subclones, designatedium008p004, was derived from a D-pSPL3 library made from the P8 clone(see FIG. 1). A 327 base pair portion of the P1 insert in ium008p004 wassequenced. The protein sequence encoded by this portion of ium008p004showed homology to two translated sequences in the GenBank nucleic aciddatabase. Two primers were selected from the region of homology and usedto amplify a DNA fragment of 90 bp, called P8X1, having the followingsequence:

5′GAGACAAATG TCCTAGGCTT CAAGGGACCT CGGAAGATGA GTGTGATCGT CCCAGGCATGAACATGGTTC ATGAGAGAGT CTGTATCCGC 3′ (SEQ ID NO:47)

The ium008p004 homologies were to Genbank sequences Z48334 and X69827.Z48334 is the partial sequence of a Caenorhabditis elegans cosmid,F10B5. One of the putative genes identified within this sequencecontains a 425 amino acid open reading frame, designated F10B5.4 (WilsonR. et al, 1994, Nature 368:32-38). X69827 is a mouse 981 bp partial cDNAwith a potential open reading frame of 323 amino acids. This sequencehas been shown to have similarity to the family of phosphodiesteraseproteins (Vambutas, V. and Wolgemuth, D. J., 1994, Biochim. Biophys.Acta. 1217:203-206).

The above sequence was flanked by consensus splice sites, furtherdemonstrating that the sequence is from an exon, or a coding region, ofa gene. The homology to a known gene, as described above, coupled withthe presence of consensus splice sites strongly suggested that thisregion of the ium008p004 clone corresponded to a portion of the codingregion of a gene. Given its location within the interval in which thetub gene is located, this putative gene, which was designated CBT9,represented a tub gene candidate.

8.2 Isolation of CBT9 cDNA Clones Materials and Methods

cDNA cloning

In order to isolate a longer cDNA of the CBT9 gene, the PBX1 fragmentwas used as a probe to screen a Stratagene (La Jolla, Calif.) mousebrain cDNA library (#936309). For hybridization, Amersham Rapid HybBuffer (Cat No. RPN1639) was utilized according to manufacturer'sprotocol. A final washing stringency of was 2×SSC/0.1% SDS at 65° C. wasattained and autoradiography was performed overnight. One million cloneswere screened. Among the clones identified was the fume009 clone, a 1.15kb cDNA, which was then sequenced.

The fume009 clone was used to screen a mouse hypothalamus cDNA library.This library was constructed from poly-A⁺ RNA from 6 week old C57BL/6Jmice. First and second strand cDNA was made from the poly-A⁺ RNA usingstandard procedures. cDNA was ligated into Uni-ZAP XR lambda vector andpackaged using a Stratagene kit (Cat. No. 237611). Identical washingconditions as described above were utilized. The screen identified a 6.0kb clone, designated fumh019, which was sequenced. The fumh039 cDNAclone contains the entire CBT9 gene coding region. The CBT9 sequence isfurther discussed, below, in the Example presented in Section 12.

Results

In order to isolate CBT9 cDNA clone, the P8X1 fragment was used, asdescribed, above, in the Materials and Methods portion of this section,to screen a mouse brain cDNA library. This screen resulted in theisolation of the fume009 1.15 kb cDNA clone.

The fume009 cDNA clone was then used, as described, above, in theMaterials and Methods portion of this section, to screen a mousehypothalamus cDNA library. This screen resulted in the isolation of a6.0 kb cDNA clone, designated fumh019.

The fumh019 cDNA clone was sequenced and was determined to contain theentire CBT9 coding region. The CBT9 nucleotide and amino acid sequenceare described, below, in the Example presented, below, in Section 12.

9. EXAMPLE Characterization of the Expression of the CBT9 Gene

In the Example presented herein, Northern analysis data is describedwhich characterizes the CBT9 gene (see Section 8, above). Specifically,experiments are presented herein which evaluate the expression of CBT9in a number of mouse tissues obtained from wild type and tub mice. Theresults presented herein are consistent with the CBT9 gene being the tubgene.

9.1 Materials and Methods

Northern analysis

The P8X1 DNA fragment and the fume009 cDNA clone were used to probeNorthern blots containing total mouse RNA.

Total RNA from tub and wild type (C57BL/6J) mice was isolated andutilized for the Northern analysis. All mice were sacrificed by carbondioxide asphyxiation. Tissues were dissected on ice, snap-frozen inliquid nitrogen and stored at −80° C. Total RNA was isolated usingRNazolB (TelTest, Inc.) The total RNA samples were resuspended inRNase-free DEPC-treated water and quantitated by optical densitymeasurement.

For the Northern blots, 10 μg total RNA of each sample was loaded onto aformaldehyde gel. The gel was blotted onto a nylon membrane usingstandard Northern transfer techniques. The blot was hybridized with P8X1which had been radiolabelled by random priming using a Gibco-BRL kit(Cat. No. 18187-013) according the manufacturer's recommended protocol.For hybridization, Amersham Rapid Hyb Buffer (Cat. No. RPN1639) wasutilized according to manufacturer's protocol. A final washingstringency of 0.1×SSC/0.1% SDS at 65° C. was attained, andautoradiography was performed overnight.

The Northern blot depicted in FIG. 2 was loaded as follows: lane 1, wildtype brain without hypothalamus; lane 2, tub brain without hypothalamus;lane 3, wild type hypothalamus; lane 4, tub hypothalamus; lane 5, wildtype heart; lane 6, tub heart; lane 7, wild type lung; lane 8, tub lung;lane 9, wild type liver; lane 10, tub liver; lane 11, wild type kidney;lane 12, tub kidney; lane 13, wild type spleen; lane 14, tub spleen;lane 15, wild type stomach; lane 16, tub stomach; lane 17, wild typemuscle; lane 18, tub muscle; lane 19, wild type fat; lane 20, tub fat;lane 21, wild type testis; lane 22, tub testis; lane 23, RNA molecularweight standards, the sizes of which are indicated by the. lines at theright hand side of the blot. Specifically, the sizes are 9.49 kb, 7.46kb, 4.40,kb, 2.37 kb, 1.35 kb and 0.24 kb. The crosses indicate thepositions of the 28S and 18S ribosomal RNA molecules. “Wild type” refersto C57BL/6J mice.

The Northern blot depicted in FIG. 3 was loaded as follows: lane 1, RNAmolecular weight standards, the sizes of which are indicated by thelines at the side of the blot (specifically, such sizes are 9.49 kb,7.46 kb, 4.40 kb, 2.37 kb, 1.35 kb and 0.24 kb); lane 2, wild type brainwithout hypothalamus; lane 3, tub brain without hypothalamus; lane 4,wild type hypothalamus; lane 5, tub hypothalamus; lane 6, wild typeheart; lane 7, tub heart; lane 8, wild type lung; lane 9, tub lung; lane10, wild type liver; lane 11, tub liver; lane 12, wild type kidney; lane13, tub kidney; lane 14, wild type spleen; lane 15, tub spleen; lane 16,wild type stomach; lane 17, tub stomach; lane 18, wild type muscle; lane19, tub muscle; lane 20, wild type fat; lane 21, tub fat; lane 22, wildtype testis; lane 23, tub testis. The crosses indicate the positions ofthe 28S and 18S ribosomal RNA molecules. “Wild type” refers to C57BL/GJmice.

9.2. Results

As shown in FIG. 2, a CBT9 transcript of approximately 7.0 kb is presentin the hypothalamus without brain (lane 2) and in the hypothalamus (lane4) RNA samples derived from the wild type C57BL/6J mice as detected bythe P8X1 probe. No CBT9 transcript is detectable in other total RNAsamples derived from wild type mouse tissues.

As is further shown in FIG. 2, a CBT9 transcript of approximately 7.5kb, i.e., approximately 0.5 kb larger than the transcript seen in thewild type tissues, is present in both the brain without hypothalamus(lane 3) and hypothalamus (lane 5) RNA samples derived from the tub miceas detected by the P8X1 probe. No CBT9 transcript is detectable in othersamples of total RNA derived from tub mouse tissues. It shouldadditionally be noted that the abundance of the transcript detected bythe P8X1 probe in tub RNA samples is approximately 5-fold greater thanit is in RNA samples from wild type (C57BL/6J) mice.

In addition, the fume009 clone was used as a probe to verify theresults, described above, which were obtained using the P8X1 fragment asa probe. As shown in FIG. 3, Northern analysis using such a fume009sequence to probe total RNA from tub and wild type mouse tissue samplesyielded the same CBT9 results which were observed using the P8X1 probe.Specifically, a transcript of the same increased size was seen in thetotal RNA samples derived from tub homozygous mice and the same upregulation was observed in the amount of tub RNA present in total RNAsamples derived from tub homozygous animals relative to wild typeanimals.

A Northern blot analysis of total RNA derived from an animalgenotypically shown to be heterozygous for the tub mutation revealed, asexpected from the above results, the presence of both the 7.5 kb and 7.0kb transcripts in total brain RNA. In addition, a moderate up regulation(approximately two-fold) of CBT9 transcript levels relative to CBT9levels in wild type animals, was observed.

The results of these Northern analyses strongly suggest that a defectwithin the CBT9 gene results in the tubby phenotype. Specifically, thedifference in size observed between the CBT9 transcript in wild type andin tub RNA is consistent with a mutation resulting in the inclusion ofexogenous nucleic acid into the tub mRNA. Second, the approximately5-fold up regulation of CBT9 RNA levels in the RNA samples derived fromthe tub/tub homozygotes relative to levels observed in RNA samplesderived from the wild type mice suggests that such high levels of thistranscript are related to the obesity phenotype seen in tubby animals.This may be the result of a negative feedback loop induced by theabsence or malfunction of the protein encoded by the mutant tub (CBT9)gene. Third, in total mouse RNA, the CBT9 gene is expressed in thebrain, including the hypothalamus, a region of the brain which is knownto be involved in the control of body weight (Bray, G. A., 1992,Progress in Brain Res. 93:333-341). Finally, the moderate up regulationseen in the heterozygous animals is consistent with the recessiveinheritance pattern of the tubby phenotype, in which heterozygotes arenot obese, but, nonetheless, have been shown to exhibit some phenotypicdifferences relative to homozygous wild type control animals (Nishina,P. M. et al., 1994, Metabolism 43:554-558).

10. EXAMPLE CBT9 Southern Blot Analysis

In the Example presented herein, the results of a Southern blot analysisare described which indicate that homologs of the murine CBT9 gene arepresent and have been conserved in other mammalian species.

10.1. Material and Methods

Southern blot analysis

Two PCR primers were designed from the CBT9 nucleotide coding sequence,as follows:

P8X9F1: 5′-GGA CAA GAA GGG GAT GGA C-3′ (SEQ ID NO:47)

P8X10R1: 5′-CCG TGG ATG ATC TGG AAG T-3′ (SEQ ID NO:48)

The primers were used to amplify, via RT-PCR, a 650 bp cDNA fragment(designated P8X9-10) from C57BL/6J mouse whole brain RNA. StandardRT-PCR conditions were utilized. The band was gel-purified andrandom-prime radiolabelled, as described above.

The resulting probe was hybridized to a Southern blot of EcoRI-digestedgenomic DNA (BIOS Laboratories; #EBM-100E) from various mammals. Eachlane was loaded with 8 μg of digested genomic DNA. For hybridization,Amersham Rapid Hyb Buffer (Cat. No. RPN1639) was utilized according tomanufacturer's protocol. A final washing stringency of 0.5×SSC/0.1% SDSat 65° C. was attained, and blots were exposed overnight with anintensifying screen at −80° C.

The lanes of the. Southern blot depicted in FIG. 5 were loaded asfollows: lane 1, markers: lambda DNA digested with HindIII (band sizesare as indicated in the figure); lane 2, mouse; lane 3, hamster; lane 4,rat; lane 5, rabbit; lane 6, dog; lane 7, cat; lane 8, cow; lane 9,sheep; lane 10, pig; lane 11, marmoset; lane 12, human.

10.2 Results

A Southern blot analysis was conducted using a CBT9 probe (P8X9-10; seeSection 10.1 for details) and a DNA blot containing EcoRI-digestedmammalian genomic DNA of various species, as described above, in Section10.1. As is shown in FIG. 5, the CBT9 probe detects homologous sequencesin each of the mammalian DNA sample represented on the blot. This resultprovides additional evidence that the CBT9 sequence used as a probe ispart of a gene and, additionally, demonstrates that the sequences show ahigh level of conservation among a wide range of mammalian species.

11. EXAMPLE CBT9 In Situ Hyridization Analysis

In the Example presented herein, the results of an in situ hybridizationanalysis are described which verify that the CBT9 gene is expressed inthe brain. Primary CBT9 gene expression occurred within the hippocampus,hypothalamus and cortex. Weaker hybridization could be seen throughoutthe brain.

11.1 Materials and Methods

In situ Hybridization Localization: Brains from 6 month-old C57 BL/6Jmice were removed flash frozen at −80° C. and stored at −80° C. untiluse. 10 μm frozen sections of brains were post-fixed with 4% PFA/PBS for15 minutes. After washing with PBS, sections were digested with 1 μg/mlproteinase K at 37° C. for 15 minutes, and again incubated with 4%PFA/PBS for 10 minutes. Sections were then washed with PBS, incubatedwith 0.2 N HCl for 10 minutes, washed with PBS, incubated with 0.25%acetic anhydride/1 M triethanolamine for 10 minutes, washed with PBS anddehydrated with 70% ethanol and 100% ethanol. Hybridizations wereperformed with ³⁵S-radiolabelled (5×10⁷ cpm/ml) cRNA probes encoding a1.15 kb segment of the coding region of the mouse clone fume009 in thepresence of 50% formamide, 10% dextran sulfate, 1×Denhardt's solution,600 mM NaCl, 10 mM DTT, 0.25% SDS and 100 μg/ml tRNA for 18 hours at 55°C. After hybridization, slides were washed with 5×SSC at 55° C., 50%formamide/2×SSC at 55° C. for 30 minutes, 10 mM Tris-HCl(pH 7.6)/500 mMNaCl/1 mM EDTA (TNE) at 37° C. for 10 minutes, incubated in 10 μg/mlRNase A in TNE at 37° C. for 30 minutes, washed in TWE at 37° C. for 10minutes, incubated once in 2×SSC at 50° C. for 30 minutes, twice in0.2×SSC at 50° C. for 30 minutes, and dehydrated with 70t ethanol and100% ethanol. Localization of mRNA transcripts was detected by filmemulsion autoradiography followed by dipping slides in photo-emulsionfor precise autoradiographic localization.

11.2 Results

The fume009 cDNA clone was used as a probe for an in situ hybridizationanalysis. Specifically, the 1.15 kb fume009 probe was hybridized tosections of wild type C57BL/6J mice. As shown in FIG. 5, the CBT9transcript is expressed in the hypothalamus and other regions of thebrain, consistent with the above-described Northern analysis data, whichwas presented in Section 9, above.

Specifically, an mRNA transcript hybridizing to the 1.15 kB fume009antisense cRNA probe was localized to discrete regions of the brain ofboth C57BL/GJ wild-type mice (FIG. 5) and tub homozygous mice. Signalwas observed in the hypothalamus adjacent to the 3rd ventricle in two“nuclear bodies” (indicated by dense clustering of nuclei) as well as atthe base of the hypothalamus adjacent to the optic chiasm in the tissuefrom both mice. Thus, expression in the hypothalamus is highest in theparaventricular, ventromedial and arcuate nuclei.

In addition, signal was detected in scattered cells in the subcorticaltemporal lobe and in hippocampus in the tissue sections from both mice.FIG. 5 shows the regions of localization of tub gene transcript in thebrain of C57BL/6J mice (the arrows indicate those regions where signalwas detected). Weaker hybridization was observed throughout the brain.No distinct signal was observed in heart, spleen, liver, lung, skeletalmuscle, pancreas, small intestine and stomach of either the C57 BL/6Jwild-type mice or tub homozygous mice.

12. EXAMPLE Identification of CBT9 as The Tub Gene

Presented in this Example is, first, a mutational analysis of the CBT9gene, which compares CBT9 gene sequences within nucleic acid derivedfrom wild type and tub animals. Specifically, a CBT9 splice sitemutation is identified within tub genomic DNA which is absent from wildtype genomic DNA. Second, the nucleotide and derived amino acid sequenceof the CBT9 gene is presented. The results disclosed herein, coupledwith the results presented, above, in Sections 6 to 11, identify theCBT9 gene to be the tub gene.

12.1 Materials and Methods

PCR analysis

A number of primers were designed to amplify the entire open readingframe of CBT9 from tub and wild type mice in order to identify thelocation of the mutation in the tub gene. The following two primersamplified different sized cDNA fragments when amplifying tub-derivedversus wild type-derived nucleic acid:

PX1R: 5′-TGA GAC AAA TGT CCT AGG CT-3′ (SEQ ID NO:49) (corresponding toCBT9 base pair 1113 to 1132);

PX12R: 5′-TGG ACA GAG CAA TGG CGA AG-3′ (SEQ ID NO:50) (corresponding toCBT9 base pair 1489 to 1470)

Standard PCR conditions and sequencing procedures were utilized.

12.2. Results 12.2.1. CBT9 mutational, Analysis

In order to more definitively show that the CBT9 gene corresponded tothe tub gene, a PCR study was conducted to define, the mutation causingthe CBT9 transcript size change observed in tub mice relative to theCBT9 transcript size observed in RNA of wild type mice. Of the PCRprimer pairs utilized, only one resulted in a size differential betweenthe fragment amplified using tub-derived nucleic acid and the fragmentamplified using wild type-derived nucleic acid (see Section 10.1 fordetails).

Specifically, utilizing this primer pair (i.e., PX1R and PX12R) a cDNAwas amplified from wild type (C57BL/6J) brain RNA which was about 350bp, while a cDNA fragment was amplified from tub brain RNA which wasabout 800 bp. The amplification of both wild type (C57BL/6J) and tubgenomic DNA resulted in a band of approximately 900 bp.

It should be noted that the size differential, approximately 450 bp,between the tub and wild type cDNA amplified fragments roughlycorresponds to the difference in transcript size (i.e., 7 vs. 7.5 kb)observed between tub and wild type RNA in the CBT9 Northern analysisdescribed, above, in the Example presented in Section 9. By sequencing(see below) it was determined that the precise size difference betweenthe tub and wild type cDNA amplified sequences was 398 bp.

The 900 bp fragment amplified from genomic DNA reveals the presence of asecond intron within the amplified region. Only one of these introns (ofapproximately 100 bp in length) was processed correctly in the tubanimals, as discussed below.

The cDNA and genomic amplified fragments in the region of the mutationwere sequenced and the wild type- and tub-derived sequences werealigned, as shown in FIG. 7. For orientation of the genomic sequencedepicted in FIG. 7 with the full length CBT9 cDNA coding sequence shownin FIG. 6, bases 1-12 and 411-437 in FIG. 7 correspond to bases1373-1384 and 1385-1411 of FIG. 6. In FIG. 7, the two top sequences arefrom genomic DNA derived from tub and wild type C57BL/6J mice, asindicated. The bottom two sequences are derived from cDNA from tub andwild type mice, as indicated. The vertical arrow shows the position ofthe tub mutation. The horizontal box indicates the consensus splice sitesequence in C57BL/6J which is abolished in the tub genomic DNA. Theasterisks indicate the intron which is erroneously not spliced out ofthe mature tub mRNA.

The portion of the CBT9 gene sequence in FIG. 7 depicts only the genomicregion near the mutation site. This alignment revealed a single basepair difference of a G to T transversion in the first base of the splicesite (GTGACT; see boxed region of FIG. 1) of the intron between base1384 and 1385 of the open reading frame of the genomic DNA. Thismutation abolishes the splice site, resulting in retention of an intronof approximately 450 bp in the amplified cDNA derived from the tub RNA.To confirm that the identified sequence change did not simply representa polymorphism, the splice site was sequenced in 32 additional mousestrains. In each of the strains, the DNA sequence at the putativemutation site was identical to that observed in the wild type C57BL/6Jstrain.

FIG. 8 depicts a schematic representation of the splicing defect withinthe CBT9 in tub mice. The top half of the figure shows the normal, wildtype splicing of the intron from C57BL/6J RNA and the predicted carboxyterminus of the wild type CBT9 protein. The G to T mutation of the firstbase of the intron within the CBT9 gene in tub mice abolishes splicingof this intron, causing the intron to be retained within the maturemRNA. The predicted tub mutant CBT9 protein, therefore, is abnormal.Specifically, due to translation of intronic sequence, this mutant tubgene product lacks the final 44 amino acid residues of the normal CBT9protein and, instead, contains 24 intron-encoded amino acid residues atits carboxy terminus which are erroneously added to the tub proteinuntil a stop codon within the intronic sequence is reached.

12.2.2. CBT9 Nucleotide and Amino Acid Sequence

As discussed in Section 8.2, above, the fumh019 CBT9 cDNA clone wassequenced. Sequencing revealed that the fumh019 cDNA clone contained theentire CBT9 open reading frame.

The nucleotide sequence and amino acid sequence of CBT9 is shown in FIG.6. The CBT9-encoded protein is 505 amino acid residues in length. CBT9is a novel gene, with no identical sequences present in publisheddatabases. The entire CBT9 coding region of the Mus spretus and A/Jmouse strains were sequenced and no non-conservative amino acid changesin either strain as compared to the C57BL/6J tub sequence were found.

The CBT9 gene product is a hydrophilic protein, with an estimated pI of9.2, which lacks any obvious secretary sequence, mitochondrial transitpeptide or transmembrane domain. The gene product contains a regionconsisting of two runs of serine amino acid residues separated by eightacidic amino acid residues (amino acid residues 191-211), which couldserve as a hinge between domains of the protein. In addition, twopotential dibasic protease cleavage sites are present at amino acidpositions 302 and 383, and two potential glycosylation sites are presentat amino acid positions 205 and 426.

The carboxy half of the CBT9 gene product shows similarity to severalsequences in the public protein databases and/or encoded by sequencespresent in public nucleotide databases, including p4-6, a mouse testiscDNA (Genbank X69827); F1OB5.4 (Genbank Z48334), a C. elegans genomicsequence; DM87D3S (Genbank Z50688) a Drosophila STS; and ys86c04.r1(Genbank H92408), a human retinal cDNA; as well as several rice, maizeand Arabidopsis ESTs. With the exception of the mouse testis cDNA p4-6,none of these sequences has been functionally characterized. p4-6 wasisolated by screening of a cDNA library with a rat phosphodiesteraseprobe (Vambutas, V. & Wolgemuth, D. J. 1994, Biochim. Biophys. Acta1217: 203-206).

Upon alignment of the CBT9 gene product and the sequences showingsimilarity to CBT9, certain regions were shown to be completelyconserved. Specifically, the two dibasic protease cleavage amino acidresidues and the cysteine amino acid at the penultimate CBT9 positionare all completely conserved among all the CBT9-related sequences.

The data presented in Sections 6 to 11 above, including mapping data,and Northern and in situ analyses, and the mutational analysis datapresented in this Section demonstrating that the tubby phenotype isassociated with a splicing defect within the CBT9 gene which results ina major alteration of the carboxy terminus of the CBT9 gene product,represent conclusive evidence that the CBT9 gene is the tub gene.Specifically, CBT9 maps within the 0.25 cM interval that the tub genehas been shown, herein, to map. Further, the CBT9 gene is expressed inthe brain, including the hypothalamus, a region known to be involved inbody weight control. Additionally, the CBT9 transcript in tub animals islarger than the CBT9 transcript found in wild type C57BL/6J animals andit has been shown herein that this increase in size is due to a singlebase mutation in a CBT9 splice site which results in the incorrectsplicing of the RNA such that a 398 nucleotide intron remains within themature mRNA. As a result, the protein which is translated from such amutant transcript exhibits an abnormal carboxy terminus. Presumably as aresult of this defect, the CBT9 mRNA is upregulated approximately 5-foldin homozygous tub/tub mice. The heterozygous tub/+ mice showed a moremodest upregulation, as would be expected, given the heterozygous tubphenotype. In summary, therefore, the CBT9 gene has successfully beenidentified to be the tub gene.

13. EXAMPLE Cloning and Characterization of the Human Tub Gene

The Example presented herein describes the successful cloning andcharacterization of the human tub gene, which is involved in the controlof human body weight. Both the human tub gene and gene product exhibit astriking level of similarity to the murine tub gene and gene product.

13.1. Materials and Methods

P8X5-1 tub probe generation

The 950 base pair P8X5-1 tub gene cDNA probe was generated by standardPCR amplification of the murine cDNA clone fumh019, described, above, inSection 8. The following primers were utilized for the amplification:

P8X5R1: 5′-CCG ACT CGA TTG CCA GTG TA-3′ (SEQ ID NO:51)

P8X1F1: 5′-GCG GAT ACA GAC TCT CTC AT-3′ (SEQ ID NO:52)

Upon amplification, the probe was gel purified and radiolabelledaccording to standard protocols.

cDNA screening

Screening was performed on a human fetal brain cDNA library (Clontech#HL1149x). Hybridization was performed for 4 hours at 65° C usingAmersham Rapid Hyb buffer (Cat. #RPN1639) according to themanufacturer's protocol. A final washing stringency of 1.0×SSC/0.1% SDSat 50° C. for 20 minutes was achieved. Autoradiography was performedovernight.

DNA sequencing

Standard DNA sequencing techniques were utilized for the sequencing ofthe resulting putative human tub cDNA clones.

13.2 Results

The 950 base pair P8X5-1 murine tub gene probe, described, above, inSection 13.1, was used to screen a human fetal brain cDNA library forclones corresponding to the human tub gene. Screening conditions were asdescribed, above, in Section 13.1.

Screening of the human cDNA library yielded thirteen independentpositive clones. Among these clones were those designated CBT9H1, CBT9H2and CBT9H3, which have been deposited with the ATCC. Sequencing revealedthat the entire coding region of the human tub gene was contained withinthese partially overlapping clones.

The nucleotide and derived amino acid sequences of the human tub geneare shown in FIG. 9. As shown in FIG. 9, the human, tub gene encodes a506 amino acid protein. The human tub gene product encodes a hydrophilicprotein exhibiting an estimated pI of 9.2 which lacks any obvioussecretory sequence, mitochondrial transit peptide or transmembranedomain. The gene product contains a region consisting of two runs ofserine amino acid residues separated by a acidic amino acid residues(amino acid 191-211) which could serve as a hinge between domains of theprotein. In addition, there are two potential dibasic protease cleavagesites at amino acid positions 301-306 and 381-384, as well as twopotential N-glycosylation sites at amino acid residues 206 and 427.

The human tub gene and gene product exhibit a striking similarity to themurine tub gene and gene product. Specifically, the human tub gene is89% identical, at the nucleotide level, to the murine tub gene. Further,the 506 amino acid human tub gene product exhibits a 94% identity to the505 amino acid murine tub gene product. Amino acid residue 201represents the only amino acid insertion between the two tub geneproduct sequences. Specifically, the human tub amino acid residue 201corresponds to an insertion between murine amino acid residues 200 and201. The carboxy half of the tub gene product is particularly highlyconserved. The final 260 amino acid residues of the human and mouse tubgene products differ by only a single residue. Specifically, murine tubgene product amino acid residue 399 is a cysteine, while thecorresponding human tub gene product amino acid residue 400 is serine.

In summary, the results presented herein represent the successfulcloning of the human tub gene.

14. EXAMPLE Human and Murine Tub Gene Alternative Splicing

The Example presented herein describes the discovery that both the humanand murine tub genes produce alternatively spliced transcripts.Specifically, it is shown that tub transcripts are produced which eithercontain or are lacking the sequence corresponding to tub exon 5.Quantitative variation between the relative amounts of alternativelyspliced species produced is also described.

14.1. Material and Methods

RT-PCR

First strand cDNA was synthesized from total RNA using SuperScript(Gibco-BRL) according to supplier's protocol. Subsequent PCR conditionswere as follows: Hot start with 0.5 U AmpliTaq, followed by 30 cycles at94° C. for 1 minute, 55° C. for 1 minute and 72° C. for 1 minute.Products were electrophoresed on 2% agarose gels. RT-PCR products to besequenced were run on LMP agarose, excised, digested with β-Agarase (NewEngland Biolabs), precipitated and resuspended in water. The sameconditions were utilized for amplification of both human and mouse RNApopulations.

The primers utilized for mouse sequence amplification were derived frommurine tub exons 4 and 6: P8X5R: 5′-CCG ACT CGA TTG CCA GTG TA-3′ (SEQID NO:53); and CBT9R5: 5′-GGA GCT GTT TTC ATC CTC ATC -3′ (SEQ IDNO:54).

The primers utilized for human sequence amplification were derived fromhuman tub exons 4 and 6: hCBT9F11: 5′-GAA GGA GAA GAA GGG AAA GC-3′(SEQID NO:55); and hCBT9R11: 5′-GGG TGT TAC TAT TTA GCT GG-3′ (SEQ IDNO:56).

Other techniques

All other techniques were performed according to standard proceduresand/or as described in the Examples presented above. Primers used forgenomic PCR amplification were derived from tub exons 4 and S: X4F1.5′-TTC AAG AGG CCG ACT CGA TT-3′ (SEQ ID NO:57); and X5R1: 5′-TTC CTCTGC ATC GTG GCA C-3′ (SEQ ID NO:58).

14.2. Results

RT-PCR from mouse brain M& using primers derived from exons 4 and 6, asdescribed in Section 14.1, above, resulted in the amplification of twoproducts. Sequencing of these products showed that they differ by thepresence or absence of sequence corresponding to exon 5. RT-PCR of RNAfrom C57BL/6J mice consistently yielded more of the amplified productcontaining exon 5. This result was shown to be true for 7 other strainstested.

RT-PCR performed using brain RNA derived from the Mus spretus strain,however, invariably showed a greater abundance of the product lackingexon 5. This was demonstrated in 6 independent M. spretus mice. Thisquantitative pattern was also found to be exhibited in M. castaneousmice. Genomic PCR revealed that the intron preceding exon 5 was 0.5 kbshorter in both M. spretus and M. castaneous strains. Sequencing of aportion of this intron showed that its donor, acceptor and branch pointsequences were not affected by the sequence missing in these strains.

RT-PCR of total human RNA from several tissues was performed with twoprimers from exons 4 and 6 using the same conditions as for mouse RNA.The amplification primers were hCBT9F11 and hCBT9R11, as described,above, in Section 14.1. Amplification produced two amplified fragmentsof 281 bp and 113 bp. Sequencing revealed that the larger bandrepresented a transcript containing exon 5, while the smaller fragmentwas missing the sequence corresponding to exon 5. Thus, the human tubgene, also exhibits alternate splicing of exon 5. Both the human andmouse exon 5 is 168 base pairs long. Because this length is a multipleof 3, the reading frame of the transcripts lacking exon 5 is conserved.

It is possible that variant splicing may result in proteins withqualitatively or quantitatively distinct activities. The differentialregulation of alternate splicing may result in individuals withdifferential susceptibilities to obesity. For example, in place of theconstitutive obesity associated with the tub mutation, alleles whichyield a higher amount of protein encoded by transcripts lacking exon 5relative to the level encoded by transcripts containing exon 5 mayconfer a greater susceptibility to obesity only in the context of aparticular environmental and genetic background.

15. EXAMPLE Recombinant Expression of Tub Gene Products

The Example presented in this Section describes the recombinantexpression of murine and human tub gene products.

15.1. Materials and Methods

Bacterial expression.

Murine tub subcloning

cDNA sequence containing the entire murine tub coding region wassubcloned into bacterial expression vector pET29*. pET29* is a modifiedpET29a vector (Novagen, Inc., Madison Wis.) containing an alteredShine-Dalgarno sequence for optimal initiation of translation (Chen, H.et al., 1994, Nuc. Acids Res. 22:4953-4957).

In order to subclone the tub coding sequence into the pET29* vector,site directed mutagenesis was performed on an existing tub cDNA tocreate a tub sequence with appropriate restriction sites. Specifically,single stranded DNA was rescued from CJ 236 E. coli transformed withpMal-c2 (New England Biolabs, Beverley Mass.) plasmid containing aPCR-derived tub cDNA by infection with KO7 M13 helper phage. The singlestranded DNA was used as a template for site directed mutagenesis whichyielded amplified tub fragments containing altered ends (Kunkel, T. A.,1985, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82:488-491). The 5′ end of theamplified fragment was altered such that the tub initiation codon wascontained within an NdeI site (i.e., CATATG), while the 3′ end wasaltered such that part of the tub termination codon was contained withinan EcoRI site (i.e., TGAATTC). The resulting tub cDNA was excised as a5′ NdeI to 3′ EcoRI fragment and ligated into NdeI/EcoRI-digested pET29*vector, to yield the murine pET29*-tub expression construct.

In order to produce the murine tub-HIS₆ expression construct, codons forsix histidine residues were fused in-frame at the 3′ end of the tub cDNAsequence. Site directed mutagenesis was employed as described above,except that the primers utilized yielded fragments containing the sixhistidine codons inserted just 5′ of the EcoRI site at the 3′ end of thecDNA (i.e., CACCACCACCACCACCACTGAATTC, SEQ ID NO:59). The resultingmutagenized fragment was excised and ligated into pET29*. as describedabove to yield the murine pET29*-tub HIS₆ expression construct.

Human tub subcloning

The entire coding region of the human tub sequence was also insertedinto the pET29* expression vector in both native and HIS₆ fusion forms.For insertion into pET29*, a human tub cDNA in pMal-C2 was modified viasite directed mutagenesis to create 5′ NdeI and 3′ EcoRI restrictionsites, as described for the murine tub sequence, above, to yield thehuman pET29*-tub expression construct.

For construction of the human tub HIS₆ construct, six histidine codonswere introduced just 5′ of the EcoRI site by a three part ligation.Specifically, a 5′ ApaLI-3′ EcoRI restriction fragment encoding the last25 amino acids of the murine pET29*-tub-HIS₆ was exchanged for theequivalent fragment of the human tub gene sequence in human pET29*-tubconstruct, to yield the human pET29*-tub-HIS₆ expression construct. Itshould be noted that, although the human and mouse tub genes havediffering primary sequences, the amino acid residues they encode withinthis carboxy-terminal region are identical.

Expression of recombinant tub proteins

Host bacteria BL21(DE3) (Novagen, Inc., Madison Wis.) were chemicallytransformed with each of the expression constructs described above(i.e., murine pET29*-tub, murine pET29*-tub-HIS₆, human pET29*-tub orhuman pET29*-tub-HIS₆) and grown in 6 liters BHI (Brain Heart Infusionbroth) cultures to mid-log phase (OD₅₉₅=1.0) at 37° C.

T7 RNA polymerase and; concomitantly, tub protein expression, wasinduced by the addition of IPTG to a final concentration of 0.5 mM. Twohours post-induction, bacteria were collected by centrifugation andfrozen.

Mammalian expression.

Murine tub subcloning

To prepare murine tub cDNA containing the entire tub coding region, the5′ end of the murine tub cDNA in the murine pET29*-tub construct wasmutagenized to remove the NdeI restriction site, and replaced with aBamHI restriction site and a Kozak box (Kozak, M. 1987, Nuc. Acid Res.15:8125-8132) for efficient initiation of translation in mammaliancells. After modification, the sequence just 5′ of the tub start codonwas as follows: GGATCCACCATG (SEQ ID NO:60) (the start codon isunderlined).

The modified sequence was digested with BamHI and EcoRI to excise theregion to be subcloned. After excision, the murine tub cDNA was ligatedinto the transient expression vector pN8ε (to yield the pN8ε-tubconstruct) and into the stable retroviral expression vector pWZLblast(to yield the pWZLblast-tub construct). Transcription in pN8ε isdirected from the human CMV immediate early promoter, whiletranscription from pWZLblast is initiated in the promoter embeddedMoloney Leukemia Virus LTR.

Constructs for the expression of epitope tagged recombinant tub geneproduct were generated, in which a DNA fragment encoding three tandemcopies of the influenza virus hemagglutinin peptide YPYDVPDYA was fusedin-frame with the NH₂ terminus of the tub cDNA in pN8ε-tub.Specifically, the triple flu epitope was amplified from the plasmid pBSIA3 via PCR with primers possessing 5′ HindIII and 3′ BamHI restrictionsites. The PCR product was purified, HindIII/BamHI digested and ligatedinto HindIII/BamHI digested pN8ε-tub. The correct sequence of the fusionconstruct (designated pN8ε3Xflu-tub) was verified.

Expression of recombinant tub proteins

Transient expression is achieved by transfection of pN8ε-tub orpN8ε3Xflu-tub expression constructs into 293 EBNA cells (InvitrogenCorp.) via lipofection (Lipofectamine; Life Technologies Corp.).Analyses performed 72 hours post-lipofection.

Stably infected polyclonal pools of NIH 3T3 cells harboringpWLZblast-tub proviruses are generated by transiently transfecting QEproducer cells (Morgenstern, J. P. & Land, R., 1990, Nuc. Acids Res.18:3587-3596) with calcium phosphate and harvesting recombinantretrovirus 48 hours later. The virus is then used to infect target NIH3T3 fibroblasts overnight at which time the infected cells are split1:10 into medium supplemented with blasticidin HCl (ICN Corp.) at aconcentration of 10 μg/ml. Colonies of blasticidinS HCR-resistant cellswhich appear within roughly two weeks are pooled and lysed for analysis.

15.2. Results

Described herein is the successful expression of recombinant murine andhuman tub gene products in mammalian and/or bacterial systems. Withrespect to bacterial expression, both native and HIS₆ fusion (i.e., afusion protein containing six carboxy-terminal histidine amino acidresidues following the native tub amino acid sequence) tub gene productshave been expressed. Details regarding the creation of tub expressionconstructs and production of gene products using these constructs aredescribed, above, in Section 15.1.

Aliquots of bacterial lysates (representing approximately 10⁻⁵ of thetotal 6 liter preparation were analyzed using standard SDSpolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, as depicted in FIG. 11. A proteinwith a molecular weight of approximately 57 kD was readily apparent inproteins obtained from induced bacteria containing murine pET29*-tub. 57kD was the approximate molecular weight one would predict for the murinetub protein, with its 505 amino acid residues. Likewise, a protein witha molecular weight of approximately 57 kD was readily apparent inproteins obtained from induced bacteria containing human pET29*-tub. 57kD was the approximate molecular weight one would predict for the 506amino acid residue human tub gene product.

A protein exhibiting a slightly increased molecular weight was readilyapparent in proteins obtained from induced bacteria containing eitherhuman or murine pET29*-HIS₆. The slight increase in molecular weight wasexpected given the additional six histidine residues present in thesetub-HIS₆ fusion proteins.

Constructs for the expression of epitope-tagged murine tub protein wereutilized to demonstrate successful mammalian expression of recombinanttub gene product. Specifically, the pN8ε3Xflu-tub expression constructwas introduced, via lipofection, into 293 EBNA cells, as described,above, in Section 15.1. After lipofection, immunoprecipitation followedby Western blot detection with the monoclonal antibody 12CA5 (directedagainst the flu hemagglutinin peptide; Boehringer Mannhein Corp.) wasperformed. Western blotting revealed the presence of a proteinexhibiting a molecular weight of approximately 59 kD (i.e., a sizeexpected of the full length tub gene product fused the triple fluhemagglutinin peptide sequence 4. No such protein was detected incontrol transfections with non-hemagglutinin tagged pN8ε-tub constructs.

In summary, the results described herein indicate that recombinantmurine and human tub gene products have successfully been expressed inbacterial and/or mammalian systems.

16. EXAMPLE Identification and Characterization of a Tub Gene Homolog

The Example presented in this Section describes the identification andcharacterization of a human tub gene homolog, referred to herein ashuman tub homolog 1.

The mouse tub gene nucleotide sequence was utilized as a database queryusing the Blastx program (1993, Nature Genetics 3:266-272), whichresulted in the identification of a human EST (GenBank Accession No.H92408) which exhibited a 7.3% identity over 85'derived amino acidresidues. The EST was originally derived from a human retinal library(Scares, B. and Benaldo, F.).

Upon identification of the EST, the corresponding clone was obtainedfrom Genbank and sequenced. A number of errors in the sequence listed inthe database were found. These included a deletion of bp 33 from theGenbank sequence, incorrect base pair insertions (Genbank sequence bps330, 339, 359, 366, 375 and 384), incorrect sequence at bps 133-137(ACCGA in Genbank sequence, as opposed to the correct GGCCG sequence)and incorrect bp 398 (T in Genbank as opposed to the correct G).

The identified sequence was used to screen a retinal cDNA library, whichresulted in the identification of several positive clones. FIG. 12depicts nucleotide sequence of the tub homolog identified via thisscreening effort, which is referred to herein as human tub homolog 1.The sequence depicted in FIG. 12 codes for a substantial portion of thehuman tub homolog 1 protein, the derived amino acid sequence of which isalso depicted in FIG. 12. The sequence exhibits a 73.9% identity over216 derived amino acid residues.

The EST derived from the human tub homolog 1 gene was mapped in thehuman by PCR typing of the Genebridge (G4) radiation hybridizationpanel. Typing of the DNA and comparison to radiation hybrid map data atthe Whitehead Institute Center for Genome Research (WICGR) tightlylinked the EST to an anonymous STS, WI-4186, on human chromosome 6.

Additionally, the EST was genetically mapped in the mouse using aC57BL/6J×Mus spretus interspecific backcross. Genotyping of 100 meiosesdemonstrated linkage to a region on mouse chromosome 17 between D17Mit48and D7Mit 9.

Human multiple tissue northern blots (Cat. No. 7766-1 and 7760-1,Clonetech, Palo Alto Calif.) containing 2 μg of poly A+ RNA per lanewere probed with the approximately 1.35 kb EcoRI-NotI fragment of thesequence obtained from Genbank containing the human tub homolog 1insert. The filters were prehybridized in 5 mls of Church buffer at 65°C. for 1 hour, after which 100 ng of ³²P-labelled probe was added. Probewas made using Stratagene Prime-It kit (Cat. No. 300392; Stratagene, LaJolla Calif.). Hybridization was allowed to proceed at 65° C. forapproximately 18 hours. Final washes of the filters was in 0.1% SDS,0.2×SSC solution for 65° C. Washed filters were exposed to aphosphoimager for 4 hours.

The Northern analysis was performed using a 1.35 kb probe as describedin Section 16.1, above, containing human tub homolog 1 sequence encoding285 amino acids plus 3′-untranslated sequence to the poly-A sequence wasperformed. Tissues tested included brain, lung, liver, kidney, spleen,thymus, muscle, prostate, testis and fat. A message of approximately 2kb was apparent in the lanes containing RNA from skeletal muscle andtestis.

17. DEPOSIT OF MICROORGANISMS

The following microorganisms were deposited under the provisions of theBudapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit ofMicroorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure, and comply with thecriteria set forth in 37 C.F.R. §1.801-1.809 regarding availability andpermanency of deposits.

The following microorganisms were deposited with the American TypeCulture Collection (ATCC), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va.20110-2209, on the dates indicated and were assigned the indicatedaccession numbers:

Microorganism Clone ATCC Access. No. Deposit Date H019 (E. coli) fumh01969856 Jun. 29, 1995. E/P8 (E. coli) P8 69858 Jun. 30, 1995. E/P6 (E.coli) P6 69857 Jun. 30, 1995. E/B13 (E. coli) B13 69859 Jun. 30, 1995.CBT9H1 (E. coli) CBT9H1 97222 Jul. 10, 1995. CBT9H2 (E. coli) CBT9H297221 Jul. 10, 1995. CBT9H3 (E. coli) CBT9H3 69874 Jul. 28, 1995.

The present invention is not to be limited in scope by the specificembodiments described herein, which are intended as single illustrationsof individual aspects of the invention, and functionally equivalentmethods and components are within the scope of the invention. Indeed,various modifications of the invention, in addition to those shown anddescribed herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art fromthe foregoing description and accompanying drawings. Such modificationsare intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

60 1804 base pairs nucleic acid single linear DNA unknown CDS 139..16531 CTGCAGGATT CGGCACGAGC AGCGGTCGGG CCGGGGAGGA TGCGGCCCGG GGCGGCCCGA 60GAGTTGAGCA GGGTCCCCGC GCCAGCCCCG AGCGGTCCCG GCCACCGGAG CCGCAGCCGC 120CGCCCCGCCC CCGGGAGA ATG ACT TCC AAG CCG CAT TCC GAC TGG ATT CCT 171 MetThr Ser Lys Pro His Ser Asp Trp Ile Pro 1 5 10 TAC AGT GTC CTA GAT GATGAG GGC AGC AAC CTG AGG CAG CAG AAG CTC 219 Tyr Ser Val Leu Asp Asp GluGly Ser Asn Leu Arg Gln Gln Lys Leu 15 20 25 GAC CGG CAG CGG GCC CTG TTGGAA CAG AAG CAG AAG AAG AAG CGC CAA 267 Asp Arg Gln Arg Ala Leu Leu GluGln Lys Gln Lys Lys Lys Arg Gln 30 35 40 GAG CCC TTG ATG GTA CAG GCC AATGCA GAT GGA CGG CCC CGG AGT CGG 315 Glu Pro Leu Met Val Gln Ala Asn AlaAsp Gly Arg Pro Arg Ser Arg 45 50 55 CGA GCC CGG CAG TCA GAG GAG CAA GCCCCC CTG GTG GAG TCC TAC CTC 363 Arg Ala Arg Gln Ser Glu Glu Gln Ala ProLeu Val Glu Ser Tyr Leu 60 65 70 75 AGC AGC AGT GGC AGC ACC AGC TAC CAAGTT CAA GAG GCC GAC TCG ATT 411 Ser Ser Ser Gly Ser Thr Ser Tyr Gln ValGln Glu Ala Asp Ser Ile 80 85 90 GCC AGT GTA CAG CTG GGA GCC ACC CGC CCACCA GCA CCA GCT TCA GCC 459 Ala Ser Val Gln Leu Gly Ala Thr Arg Pro ProAla Pro Ala Ser Ala 95 100 105 AAG AAA TCC AAG GGA GCG GCT GCA TCT GGGGGC CAG GGT GGA GCC CCT 507 Lys Lys Ser Lys Gly Ala Ala Ala Ser Gly GlyGln Gly Gly Ala Pro 110 115 120 AGG AAG GAG AAG AAG GGA AAG CAT AAA GGCACC AGC GGG CCA GCA ACT 555 Arg Lys Glu Lys Lys Gly Lys His Lys Gly ThrSer Gly Pro Ala Thr 125 130 135 CTG GCA GAA GAC AAG TCT GAG GCC CAA GGCCCA GTG CAG ATC TTG ACT 603 Leu Ala Glu Asp Lys Ser Glu Ala Gln Gly ProVal Gln Ile Leu Thr 140 145 150 155 GTG GGA CAG TCA GAC CAC GAC AAG GATGCG GGA GAG ACA GCA GCC GGC 651 Val Gly Gln Ser Asp His Asp Lys Asp AlaGly Glu Thr Ala Ala Gly 160 165 170 GGG GGC GCA CAG CCC AGT GGG CAG GACCTC CGT GCC ACG ATG CAG AGG 699 Gly Gly Ala Gln Pro Ser Gly Gln Asp LeuArg Ala Thr Met Gln Arg 175 180 185 AAG GGC ATC TCC AGC AGC ATG AGC TTTGAC GAG GAC GAG GAT GAG GAT 747 Lys Gly Ile Ser Ser Ser Met Ser Phe AspGlu Asp Glu Asp Glu Asp 190 195 200 GAA AAC AGC TCC AGC TCC TCC CAG CTAAAC AGC AAC ACC CGC CCT AGT 795 Glu Asn Ser Ser Ser Ser Ser Gln Leu AsnSer Asn Thr Arg Pro Ser 205 210 215 TCT GCC ACT AGC AGA AAG TCC ATC CGGGAG GCA GCT TCA GCC CCC AGC 843 Ser Ala Thr Ser Arg Lys Ser Ile Arg GluAla Ala Ser Ala Pro Ser 220 225 230 235 CCA GCC GCC CCA GAG CCA CCA GTGGAT ATT GAG GTC CAG GAT CTA GAG 891 Pro Ala Ala Pro Glu Pro Pro Val AspIle Glu Val Gln Asp Leu Glu 240 245 250 GAG TTT GCA CTG AGG CCA GCC CCACAA GGG ATC ACC ATC AAA TGC CGC 939 Glu Phe Ala Leu Arg Pro Ala Pro GlnGly Ile Thr Ile Lys Cys Arg 255 260 265 ATC ACT CGG GAC AAG AAG GGG ATGGAC CGC GGC ATG TAC CCC ACC TAC 987 Ile Thr Arg Asp Lys Lys Gly Met AspArg Gly Met Tyr Pro Thr Tyr 270 275 280 TTT CTG CAC CTA GAC CGT GAG GATGGC AAG AAG GTG TTC CTC CTG GCG 1035 Phe Leu His Leu Asp Arg Glu Asp GlyLys Lys Val Phe Leu Leu Ala 285 290 295 GGC AGG AAG AGA AAG AAG AGT AAAACT TCC AAT TAC CTC ATC TCT GTG 1083 Gly Arg Lys Arg Lys Lys Ser Lys ThrSer Asn Tyr Leu Ile Ser Val 300 305 310 315 GAC CCA ACA GAC TTG TCT CGGGGA GGC GAT AGC TAT ATC GGG AAA TTG 1131 Asp Pro Thr Asp Leu Ser Arg GlyGly Asp Ser Tyr Ile Gly Lys Leu 320 325 330 CGG TCC AAC CTG ATG GGC ACCAAG TTC ACC GTT TAT GAC AAT GGC GTC 1179 Arg Ser Asn Leu Met Gly Thr LysPhe Thr Val Tyr Asp Asn Gly Val 335 340 345 AAC CCT CAG AAG GCA TCC TCTTCC ACG CTG GAA AGC GGA ACC TTG CGC 1227 Asn Pro Gln Lys Ala Ser Ser SerThr Leu Glu Ser Gly Thr Leu Arg 350 355 360 CAG GAG CTG GCA GCG GTG TGCTAT GAG ACA AAT GTC CTA GGC TTC AAG 1275 Gln Glu Leu Ala Ala Val Cys TyrGlu Thr Asn Val Leu Gly Phe Lys 365 370 375 GGA CCT CGG AAG ATG AGT GTGATC GTC CCA GGC ATG AAC ATG GTT CAT 1323 Gly Pro Arg Lys Met Ser Val IleVal Pro Gly Met Asn Met Val His 380 385 390 395 GAG AGA GTC TGT ATC CGCCCC CGC AAT GAA CAT GAG ACC CTG TTA GCA 1371 Glu Arg Val Cys Ile Arg ProArg Asn Glu His Glu Thr Leu Leu Ala 400 405 410 CGC TGG CAG AAC AAG AACACG GAG AGC ATC ATT GAG CTG CAG AAC AAG 1419 Arg Trp Gln Asn Lys Asn ThrGlu Ser Ile Ile Glu Leu Gln Asn Lys 415 420 425 ACG CCA GTC TGG AAT GATGAC ACA CAG TCC TAT GTA CTT AAC TTC CAC 1467 Thr Pro Val Trp Asn Asp AspThr Gln Ser Tyr Val Leu Asn Phe His 430 435 440 GGC CGT GTC ACA CAG GCTTCT GTG AAG AAC TTC CAG ATC ATC CAC GGC 1515 Gly Arg Val Thr Gln Ala SerVal Lys Asn Phe Gln Ile Ile His Gly 445 450 455 AAT GAC CCG GAC TAC ATCGTC ATG CAG TTT GGC CGG GTA GCA GAA GAT 1563 Asn Asp Pro Asp Tyr Ile ValMet Gln Phe Gly Arg Val Ala Glu Asp 460 465 470 475 GTG TTC ACC ATG GATTAC AAC TAC CCA CTG TGT GCA CTG CAG GCC TTC 1611 Val Phe Thr Met Asp TyrAsn Tyr Pro Leu Cys Ala Leu Gln Ala Phe 480 485 490 GCC ATT GCT CTG TCCAGC TTT GAC AGC AAG CTG GCC TGC GAG 1653 Ala Ile Ala Leu Ser Ser Phe AspSer Lys Leu Ala Cys Glu 495 500 505 TAGAGGCCCC CCACTGCCGT TAGGTGGCCCAGTCCGGAGT GGAGCTTGCC TGCCTGCCAA 1713 GACAGGCCTG CCTACCCTCT GTTCATAGGCCCTCTATGGG CTTTCTGGTC TGACCAACCA 1773 GAGATTGGTT TGCTCTGCCT CTGCTGCTTG A1804 505 amino acids amino acid unknown protein unknown 2 Met Thr SerLys Pro His Ser Asp Trp Ile Pro Tyr Ser Val Leu Asp 1 5 10 15 Asp GluGly Ser Asn Leu Arg Gln Gln Lys Leu Asp Arg Gln Arg Ala 20 25 30 Leu LeuGlu Gln Lys Gln Lys Lys Lys Arg Gln Glu Pro Leu Met Val 35 40 45 Gln AlaAsn Ala Asp Gly Arg Pro Arg Ser Arg Arg Ala Arg Gln Ser 50 55 60 Glu GluGln Ala Pro Leu Val Glu Ser Tyr Leu Ser Ser Ser Gly Ser 65 70 75 80 ThrSer Tyr Gln Val Gln Glu Ala Asp Ser Ile Ala Ser Val Gln Leu 85 90 95 GlyAla Thr Arg Pro Pro Ala Pro Ala Ser Ala Lys Lys Ser Lys Gly 100 105 110Ala Ala Ala Ser Gly Gly Gln Gly Gly Ala Pro Arg Lys Glu Lys Lys 115 120125 Gly Lys His Lys Gly Thr Ser Gly Pro Ala Thr Leu Ala Glu Asp Lys 130135 140 Ser Glu Ala Gln Gly Pro Val Gln Ile Leu Thr Val Gly Gln Ser Asp145 150 155 160 His Asp Lys Asp Ala Gly Glu Thr Ala Ala Gly Gly Gly AlaGln Pro 165 170 175 Ser Gly Gln Asp Leu Arg Ala Thr Met Gln Arg Lys GlyIle Ser Ser 180 185 190 Ser Met Ser Phe Asp Glu Asp Glu Asp Glu Asp GluAsn Ser Ser Ser 195 200 205 Ser Ser Gln Leu Asn Ser Asn Thr Arg Pro SerSer Ala Thr Ser Arg 210 215 220 Lys Ser Ile Arg Glu Ala Ala Ser Ala ProSer Pro Ala Ala Pro Glu 225 230 235 240 Pro Pro Val Asp Ile Glu Val GlnAsp Leu Glu Glu Phe Ala Leu Arg 245 250 255 Pro Ala Pro Gln Gly Ile ThrIle Lys Cys Arg Ile Thr Arg Asp Lys 260 265 270 Lys Gly Met Asp Arg GlyMet Tyr Pro Thr Tyr Phe Leu His Leu Asp 275 280 285 Arg Glu Asp Gly LysLys Val Phe Leu Leu Ala Gly Arg Lys Arg Lys 290 295 300 Lys Ser Lys ThrSer Asn Tyr Leu Ile Ser Val Asp Pro Thr Asp Leu 305 310 315 320 Ser ArgGly Gly Asp Ser Tyr Ile Gly Lys Leu Arg Ser Asn Leu Met 325 330 335 GlyThr Lys Phe Thr Val Tyr Asp Asn Gly Val Asn Pro Gln Lys Ala 340 345 350Ser Ser Ser Thr Leu Glu Ser Gly Thr Leu Arg Gln Glu Leu Ala Ala 355 360365 Val Cys Tyr Glu Thr Asn Val Leu Gly Phe Lys Gly Pro Arg Lys Met 370375 380 Ser Val Ile Val Pro Gly Met Asn Met Val His Glu Arg Val Cys Ile385 390 395 400 Arg Pro Arg Asn Glu His Glu Thr Leu Leu Ala Arg Trp GlnAsn Lys 405 410 415 Asn Thr Glu Ser Ile Ile Glu Leu Gln Asn Lys Thr ProVal Trp Asn 420 425 430 Asp Asp Thr Gln Ser Tyr Val Leu Asn Phe His GlyArg Val Thr Gln 435 440 445 Ala Ser Val Lys Asn Phe Gln Ile Ile His GlyAsn Asp Pro Asp Tyr 450 455 460 Ile Val Met Gln Phe Gly Arg Val Ala GluAsp Val Phe Thr Met Asp 465 470 475 480 Tyr Asn Tyr Pro Leu Cys Ala LeuGln Ala Phe Ala Ile Ala Leu Ser 485 490 495 Ser Phe Asp Ser Lys Leu AlaCys Glu 500 505 437 base pairs nucleic acid single linear DNA unknown 3ACGGCAATGA CCTTGAGTGT TGCCACTCCC TGTTTTTGAT GTTGTACGCA TGGTGCCCAG 60CCCCCACCCC ACCCCCAATC CCCTGATCTG GTCCATATCA GCCAGTGATG GGATGTGGGT 120ATATGGCTTT TGTTAGAACT TTCTAACTGT AGTGATCTAG AGTCCTGCCC CTAGTGCCCT 180GCATGTCTGG GGCTTGGGAA TACCCTTTAA ATGGATGTCT TTTCTCTCCT GGGCCCTGCT 240GTCTGTGTGC ATCTCCCCCC TTCACCCTCT TGCTTCATAA TGTTTCTCTT GAACCTTTGT 300TTTCTTCATC CTTTCGATCT CTTTGGCATT TCTGCTTTCT CCTTCCCTCT TGTGGCCCAT 360GTCTTACCTG GTCTCCCTGT CTCCACCATT CTTGCTTGTG CATTCCACAG CGGACTACAT 420CGTCATGCAT TTTGGCC 437 437 base pairs nucleic acid single linear DNAunknown 4 ACGGCAATGA CCGTGAGTGT TGCCACTCCC TGTTTTTGAT GTTGTACGCATGGTGCCCAG 60 CCCCCACCCC ACCCCCAATC CCCTGATCTG GTCCATATCA GCCAGTGATGGGATGTGGGT 120 ATATGGCTTT TGTAAGAACT TTCTAACTGT AGTGATCTAG AGTCCTGCCCCTAGTGCCCT 180 GCATGTCTGG GGCTTGGGAA TACCCTTTAA ATGGATGTCT TTTCTCTCCTGGGCCCTGCT 240 GTCTGTGTGC ATCTCCCCCC TTCACCCTCT TGCTTCATAA TGTTTCTCTTGAACCTTTGT 300 TTTGTTCATC CTTTCGATCT CTTTGGCATT TCTGCTTTCT CCTTCCCTCTTGTGGCCCAT 360 GTCTTACCTG GTCTCCCTGT CTCCACCATT CTTGCTTGTG CATTCCACAGCGGACTACAT 420 CGTCATGCAG TTTGGCC 437 437 base pairs nucleic acid singlelinear DNA unknown 5 ACGGCAATGA CCTTGAGTGT TGCCACTCCC TGTTTTTGATGTTGTACGCA TGGTGCCCAG 60 CCCCCACCCC ACCCCCAATC CCCTGATCTG CTCCATATCAGCCAGTGATG GGATGTGGGT 120 ATATGGCTTT TGTTAGAACT TTCTAACTGT AGTGATCTAGAGTCCTGCCC CTAGTGCCCT 180 GCATGTCTGG GGCTTGGGAA TACCCTTTAA ATGGATGTCTTTTCTCTCCT GGGCCCTGCT 240 GTCTGTGTGC ATCTCCCCCC TTCACCCTCT TGCTTCATAATGTTTCTCTT GAACCTTTGT 300 TTTGTTCATC CTTTCGATCT CTTTGGCATT TCTGCTTTCTCCTTCCCTCT TGTGGCCCAT 360 GTCTTACCTG GTCTCCCTGT CTCCACCATT CTTGCTTGTGCATTCCACAG CGGACTACAT 420 CGTCATGCAG TTTGGCC 437 39 base pairs nucleicacid single linear DNA unknown 6 ACGGCAATGA CCCGGACTAC ATCGTCATGCAGTTTGGCC 39 2040 base pairs nucleic acid single linear DNA unknown CDS153..1670 7 TGGCGTGCAG CAGGGGCCTC GGCGGGGCCC AGCCCNCCGG TCCCGGGGAGGATACGTCCC 60 GGGGGCGGCC CGGGAGCTGA GCAGGCCCCC CGCGCCGGCC CCTCCGGGCCCCGGCCTCCA 120 GAGCCGCAGC CACCGCCCCG CCCCCGAGAG AC ATG ACT TCC AAG CCGCAT TCC 173 Met Thr Ser Lys Pro His Ser 1 5 GAC TGG ATT CCC TAC AGT GTCTTA GAT GAT GAG GGC AGA AAC CTG AGG 221 Asp Trp Ile Pro Tyr Ser Val LeuAsp Asp Glu Gly Arg Asn Leu Arg 10 15 20 CAG CAG AAG CTT GAT CGG CAG CGGGCC CTG CTG GAG CAG AAG CAG AAG 269 Gln Gln Lys Leu Asp Arg Gln Arg AlaLeu Leu Glu Gln Lys Gln Lys 25 30 35 AAG AAG CGC CAG GAG CCC CTG ATG GTGCAG GCC AAT GCA GAT GGG CGG 317 Lys Lys Arg Gln Glu Pro Leu Met Val GlnAla Asn Ala Asp Gly Arg 40 45 50 55 CCC CGG AGC CGG CGG GCC CGG CAG TCAGAG GAA CAA GCC CCC CTG GTG 365 Pro Arg Ser Arg Arg Ala Arg Gln Ser GluGlu Gln Ala Pro Leu Val 60 65 70 GAG TCC TAC CTC AGC AGC AGT GGC AGC ACCAGC TAC CAA GTT CAA GAG 413 Glu Ser Tyr Leu Ser Ser Ser Gly Ser Thr SerTyr Gln Val Gln Glu 75 80 85 GCC GAC TCA CTC GCC AGT GTG CAG CTG GGA GCCACG CGC CCA ACA GCA 461 Ala Asp Ser Leu Ala Ser Val Gln Leu Gly Ala ThrArg Pro Thr Ala 90 95 100 CCA GCT TCA GCC AAG AGA ACC AAG GCG GCA GCTACA GCA GGG GGC CAG 509 Pro Ala Ser Ala Lys Arg Thr Lys Ala Ala Ala ThrAla Gly Gly Gln 105 110 115 GGT GGC GCC GCT AGG AAG GAG AAG AAG GGA AAGCAC AAA GGC ACC AGC 557 Gly Gly Ala Ala Arg Lys Glu Lys Lys Gly Lys HisLys Gly Thr Ser 120 125 130 135 GGG CCA GCA GCA CTG GCA GAA GAC AAG TCTGAG GCC CAA GGC CCA GTG 605 Gly Pro Ala Ala Leu Ala Glu Asp Lys Ser GluAla Gln Gly Pro Val 140 145 150 CAG ATT CTG ACT GTG GGC CAG TCA GAC CACGCC CAG GAC GCA GGG GAG 653 Gln Ile Leu Thr Val Gly Gln Ser Asp His AlaGln Asp Ala Gly Glu 155 160 165 ACG GCA GCT GGT GGG GGC GAA CGG CCC AGCGGG CAG GAT CTC CGT GCC 701 Thr Ala Ala Gly Gly Gly Glu Arg Pro Ser GlyGln Asp Leu Arg Ala 170 175 180 ACG ATG CAG AGG AAG GGC ATC TCC AGC AGCATG AGC TTT GAC GAG GAT 749 Thr Met Gln Arg Lys Gly Ile Ser Ser Ser MetSer Phe Asp Glu Asp 185 190 195 GAG GAG GAT GAG GAG GAG AAT AGC TCC AGCTCC TCC CAG CTA AAT AGT 797 Glu Glu Asp Glu Glu Glu Asn Ser Ser Ser SerSer Gln Leu Asn Ser 200 205 210 215 AAC ACC CGC CCC AGC TCT GCT ACT AGCAGG AAG TCC GTC AGG GAG GCA 845 Asn Thr Arg Pro Ser Ser Ala Thr Ser ArgLys Ser Val Arg Glu Ala 220 225 230 GCC TCA GCC CCT AGC CCA ACA GCT CCAGAG CAA CCA GTG GAC GTT GAG 893 Ala Ser Ala Pro Ser Pro Thr Ala Pro GluGln Pro Val Asp Val Glu 235 240 245 GTC CAG GAT CTT GAG GAG TTT GCA CTGAGG CCG GCC CCC CAG GGT ATC 941 Val Gln Asp Leu Glu Glu Phe Ala Leu ArgPro Ala Pro Gln Gly Ile 250 255 260 ACC ATC AAA TGC CGC ATC ACT CGG GACAAG AAA GGG ATG GAC CGG GGC 989 Thr Ile Lys Cys Arg Ile Thr Arg Asp LysLys Gly Met Asp Arg Gly 265 270 275 ATG TAC CCC ACC TAC TTT CTG CAC CTGGAC CGT GAG GAT GGG AAG AAG 1037 Met Tyr Pro Thr Tyr Phe Leu His Leu AspArg Glu Asp Gly Lys Lys 280 285 290 295 GTG TTC CTC CTG GCG GGA AGG AAGAGA AAG AAG AGT AAA ACT TCC AAT 1085 Val Phe Leu Leu Ala Gly Arg Lys ArgLys Lys Ser Lys Thr Ser Asn 300 305 310 TAC CTC ATC TCT GTG GAC CCA ACAGAC TTG TCT CGA GGA GGG GAC AGC 1133 Tyr Leu Ile Ser Val Asp Pro Thr AspLeu Ser Arg Gly Gly Asp Ser 315 320 325 TAT ATC GGG AAA CTG CGG TCC AACTTG ATG GGC ACC AAG TTC ACT GTT 1181 Tyr Ile Gly Lys Leu Arg Ser Asn LeuMet Gly Thr Lys Phe Thr Val 330 335 340 TAT GAC AAT GGA GTC AAC CCT CAGAAG GCC TCA TCC TCC ACT TTG GAA 1229 Tyr Asp Asn Gly Val Asn Pro Gln LysAla Ser Ser Ser Thr Leu Glu 345 350 355 AGT GGA ACC TTA CGT CAG GAG CTGGCA GCT GTG TGC TAC GAG ACA AAC 1277 Ser Gly Thr Leu Arg Gln Glu Leu AlaAla Val Cys Tyr Glu Thr Asn 360 365 370 375 GTC TTA GGC TTC AAG GGG CCTCGG AAG ATG AGC GTG ATT GTC CCA GGC 1325 Val Leu Gly Phe Lys Gly Pro ArgLys Met Ser Val Ile Val Pro Gly 380 385 390 ATG AAC ATG GTT CAT GAG AGAGTC TCT ATC CGC CCC CGC AAC GAG CAT 1373 Met Asn Met Val His Glu Arg ValSer Ile Arg Pro Arg Asn Glu His 395 400 405 GAG ACA CTG CTA GCA CGC TGGCAG AAT AAG AAC ACG GAG AGT ATC ATC 1421 Glu Thr Leu Leu Ala Arg Trp GlnAsn Lys Asn Thr Glu Ser Ile Ile 410 415 420 GAG CTG CAA AAC AAG ACA CCTGTC TGG AAT GAT GAC ACA CAG TCC TAT 1469 Glu Leu Gln Asn Lys Thr Pro ValTrp Asn Asp Asp Thr Gln Ser Tyr 425 430 435 GTA CTC AAC TTC CAT GGG CGCGTC ACA CAG GCC TCC GTG AAG AAC TTC 1517 Val Leu Asn Phe His Gly Arg ValThr Gln Ala Ser Val Lys Asn Phe 440 445 450 455 CAG ATC ATC CAT GGC AATGAC CCG GAC TAC ATC GTG ATG CAG TTT GGC 1565 Gln Ile Ile His Gly Asn AspPro Asp Tyr Ile Val Met Gln Phe Gly 460 465 470 CGG GTA GCA GAG GAT GTGTTC ACC ATG GAT TAC AAC TAC CCG CTG TGT 1613 Arg Val Ala Glu Asp Val PheThr Met Asp Tyr Asn Tyr Pro Leu Cys 475 480 485 GCA CTG CAG GCC TTT GCCATT GCC CTG TCC AGC TTC GAC AGC AAG CTG 1661 Ala Leu Gln Ala Phe Ala IleAla Leu Ser Ser Phe Asp Ser Lys Leu 490 495 500 GCG TGC GAG TAGAGGCCTCTTCGTGCCCT TTGGGGTTGC CCAGCCTGGA 1710 Ala Cys Glu 505 GCGGAGCTTGCCTGCCTGCC TGTGGAGACA GCCCTGCCTA TCCTCTGTAT ATAGGCCTTC 1770 CGCCAGATGAAGCTTTGGCC CTCAGTGGGC TCCCTGGCCC AGCCAGCCAG GAACTGGCTC 1830 CTTTGGCTCTGCTACTGAGG CAGGGGAGTA GTGGAGAGCG GGTGGGTGGG TGTTGAAGGG 1890 ATTGAGAATTAATTCTTTCC ATGCCACGAG GATCAACACA CACTCCCACC CTTGGGTAGT 1950 AAGTGGTTGTTGTNAGTCGG TACTTTACCA AAGCTTGAGC AACCTCTTCC AAGCTTGGGA 2010 AAGGGCCGCAAAAAGGCATT AGGAGGGGAG 2040 506 amino acids amino acid unknown proteinunknown 8 Met Thr Ser Lys Pro His Ser Asp Trp Ile Pro Tyr Ser Val LeuAsp 1 5 10 15 Asp Glu Gly Arg Asn Leu Arg Gln Gln Lys Leu Asp Arg GlnArg Ala 20 25 30 Leu Leu Glu Gln Lys Gln Lys Lys Lys Arg Gln Glu Pro LeuMet Val 35 40 45 Gln Ala Asn Ala Asp Gly Arg Pro Arg Ser Arg Arg Ala ArgGln Ser 50 55 60 Glu Glu Gln Ala Pro Leu Val Glu Ser Tyr Leu Ser Ser SerGly Ser 65 70 75 80 Thr Ser Tyr Gln Val Gln Glu Ala Asp Ser Leu Ala SerVal Gln Leu 85 90 95 Gly Ala Thr Arg Pro Thr Ala Pro Ala Ser Ala Lys ArgThr Lys Ala 100 105 110 Ala Ala Thr Ala Gly Gly Gln Gly Gly Ala Ala ArgLys Glu Lys Lys 115 120 125 Gly Lys His Lys Gly Thr Ser Gly Pro Ala AlaLeu Ala Glu Asp Lys 130 135 140 Ser Glu Ala Gln Gly Pro Val Gln Ile LeuThr Val Gly Gln Ser Asp 145 150 155 160 His Ala Gln Asp Ala Gly Glu ThrAla Ala Gly Gly Gly Glu Arg Pro 165 170 175 Ser Gly Gln Asp Leu Arg AlaThr Met Gln Arg Lys Gly Ile Ser Ser 180 185 190 Ser Met Ser Phe Asp GluAsp Glu Glu Asp Glu Glu Glu Asn Ser Ser 195 200 205 Ser Ser Ser Gln LeuAsn Ser Asn Thr Arg Pro Ser Ser Ala Thr Ser 210 215 220 Arg Lys Ser ValArg Glu Ala Ala Ser Ala Pro Ser Pro Thr Ala Pro 225 230 235 240 Glu GlnPro Val Asp Val Glu Val Gln Asp Leu Glu Glu Phe Ala Leu 245 250 255 ArgPro Ala Pro Gln Gly Ile Thr Ile Lys Cys Arg Ile Thr Arg Asp 260 265 270Lys Lys Gly Met Asp Arg Gly Met Tyr Pro Thr Tyr Phe Leu His Leu 275 280285 Asp Arg Glu Asp Gly Lys Lys Val Phe Leu Leu Ala Gly Arg Lys Arg 290295 300 Lys Lys Ser Lys Thr Ser Asn Tyr Leu Ile Ser Val Asp Pro Thr Asp305 310 315 320 Leu Ser Arg Gly Gly Asp Ser Tyr Ile Gly Lys Leu Arg SerAsn Leu 325 330 335 Met Gly Thr Lys Phe Thr Val Tyr Asp Asn Gly Val AsnPro Gln Lys 340 345 350 Ala Ser Ser Ser Thr Leu Glu Ser Gly Thr Leu ArgGln Glu Leu Ala 355 360 365 Ala Val Cys Tyr Glu Thr Asn Val Leu Gly PheLys Gly Pro Arg Lys 370 375 380 Met Ser Val Ile Val Pro Gly Met Asn MetVal His Glu Arg Val Ser 385 390 395 400 Ile Arg Pro Arg Asn Glu His GluThr Leu Leu Ala Arg Trp Gln Asn 405 410 415 Lys Asn Thr Glu Ser Ile IleGlu Leu Gln Asn Lys Thr Pro Val Trp 420 425 430 Asn Asp Asp Thr Gln SerTyr Val Leu Asn Phe His Gly Arg Val Thr 435 440 445 Gln Ala Ser Val LysAsn Phe Gln Ile Ile His Gly Asn Asp Pro Asp 450 455 460 Tyr Ile Val MetGln Phe Gly Arg Val Ala Glu Asp Val Phe Thr Met 465 470 475 480 Asp TyrAsn Tyr Pro Leu Cys Ala Leu Gln Ala Phe Ala Ile Ala Leu 485 490 495 SerSer Phe Asp Ser Lys Leu Ala Cys Glu 500 505 605 base pairs nucleic acidsingle linear DNA unknown 9 AGCCTACAGT TTAAACAGTC GACTCTAGAC TTAATTAAGGNTCCGGNGCG CCCCCGGGTA 60 CCGAGCTCTG GTCTCACCCA CTGCCTGTTT CTCTCTCTCCATCTGGGGAT GTTTCCTGAG 120 CAGTTCAAGA GGCCGACTCA CTCGCCAGTG TGCAGCTGGGAGCCACGCGC CCAACAGCAC 180 CAGCTTCAGC CAAGAGAACC AAGGCGGCAG CTACAGCAGGGGGCCAGGGC GGCGCCGCTA 240 GGAAGGAGAA GAAGGGAAAG CACAAAGGTC AGCTCACATTCTCTACAGCC CTGCCCAGCA 300 GGCCTGGCCT CCACTGTAGG GCTGGGGAAG GTTTGTCCTCCTGACTTGGA GGGGAGGGAT 360 AGGATGAACA GCCTCAGGGA AGACACAGAC TGCCACTCTGGGCACCCCCT CAGGTGGCTC 420 ACAGGCCTCA TCTAGCTTGG GAGGTGCCTG GGCTGCCTCTGGGTGTGGGC ATGCCTACCA 480 ACACTGCCAG GAAGTGAAGT CCTGCTCAGC TTTGGCCCAGAACCACCGTC CCNANCTTNA 540 GTTACTTTGG CCTTGAGGAA CCTTTATNAT GACCCCNTNAAGGAGGATTT TAACCAAGCT 600 GGATT 605 826 base pairs nucleic acid singlelinear DNA unknown 10 TTCAAGGGCC AAAGTTTTTT AATGATGTAT GGGAGTTAATGAAGGNGGTA TGTGGGTNTG 60 TTNGNGGAAG AAAACACCAG CATTGATGGT TGTAGNTGKTGGTGTCCAKG AATGATTGCT 120 GGCCTTGCCT ATGGTNTGGA TCAGTCCTTG TTNTCCCATCTTGTTTTTTC CCATGTGCAG 180 TTGGTTTTTG TAGATGGCTG CCGTCTGCTT TAAAGGACGTGAGGTGTTGT AAACCAACCC 240 TCGGCAATTA ATTTGGGGGA AGAGCAGAAG AAATGAAGCCCAACATCCCT TACTAGCTTA 300 CCAGTTGTTA ACAGGCTGGT GCAATCATTA GTTTTATAAAAATCAGTTTT GCAAATAAAG 360 TTTTGCAGAG GGTTTCCCCA CTCTTCCCTC ATCCCCTTCATGGACGTCTG AGAATCCAGG 420 CCCTCCTCTC CTCCTCCTGG ATGTAACTCA GGCGTGTCCGTGGCCTGCAG GCACCAGCGG 480 GCCAGCAGCA CTGGCAGAAG ACAAGWCTGA GGCCCAAGGCCCAGTGCAGA TTCTGACTGT 540 GGGCCAGTCA GACCACGCCC AGGACGCAGG GGAGACGGCAGCTGGTGGGG GCGAACGGCC 600 CAGCGGGCAG GATCTCCGTK CCACGATGCA GAGGAAGGGTGAGCCCCATG GGGGCCCAGT 660 GATACCCCCA AAACTCAGTC CCAGGTTCTC AGATGCACCTTTCTCTGGGA GCATGGNCTT 720 CCTGTGTCCA AACCCCTCCC TGGCAATGGT GGGTGAGGGTGGGGCACACT TCGGAGACAA 780 ATNAGAAACT CTTAGGCAGG GNCCCTGCTA AGGCCCCAGGGAGGCC 826 1943 base pairs nucleic acid single linear DNA unknown 11TTAAACAGTC GACTCTAGAC TTAATTAAGG ATCCGGCGCG CCCCCGGGTA CCGAGCTCAG 60TGCAGGCCTT GATACACAAG AGACAGTGGT AGGGTGSCTG CTAGGTAGTG GGGTAATGTA 120GGGACTGAGC TGAAACTGGG TGGTGGGGAT ATATCCTGAG GATTGTGGCC AGCCCCGGCT 180CATGTGTGTA CCTGAGAGAA TATCCTTTTA TATCTGGACA TGTGTGGGAA TATATGTGTG 240AATGGGAGTC TATATGTGTA GATATGGCTA AGAGTGTGTG CATAAGTTTG TGGGGGTACA 300GGTGAGTCAG TGTCTGAACA TGAGTATGTG ACCATGTGTA TTTCAGGGGC AGGGTAGACT 360TCTCCTCATT CATCCCTTCT TCTTCTCTCC TTGGCCCAGG CATCTCCAGC AGCATGAGCT 420TTGACGAGGA TGAGGAGGAT GAGGAGGAGA ATAGCTCCAG CTCCTCCCAG CTAAATAGTA 480ACACCCGCCC CAGCTCTGCT ACTAGCAGGA AGTCCGTCAG GGTGAGTGAG TGAGTCTGCA 540TCCACAGCAG TTTTTGGAGG ACTGCTCATC CGTTAGAGGT GGACTGCATG TGAAGAGATG 600GACTCGTATG CCTTTAGGAG CTTCTCTGCT GGCCTCTTAC GTCCCTCTAC CTTGCCTCCT 660AACCTCTTCA GCTAGGCCAG CAGGGTGATG TATGGGGGGA GATGCAGTTG GACAGGATGA 720CCTCTGAGGA CCTCCCGTAT CTCCCATCTC CACCTCTAGG AACTGTTGAG GGCAGGGCTG 780GGAAGATAGC TTCTGACCCC AGGCCCAGGC TGGCCAGGCC CCAATCCCAG GATCCTTCCC 840TCTCTCCCAC CGCCACGTTA GGAGGCAGAT TTGGATCCCA GACCACCAAT TTGGGCTGCT 900TAGGGTCCTT GGGGCTCAGG CACCTATTCT GCATCCCCAT AGGAGGCAGC CTCAGCCCCT 960AGCCCAACAG CTCCAGAGCA ACCAGTGGAC GTTGAGGTCC AGGATCTTGA GGAGTTTGCA 1020CTGAGGCCGC CCCCCCAGGG TATCACCATC AAATGCCGCA TCACTCGGGA CAAGAAAGGG 1080ATGGACCGGG GCATGTACCC CACCTACTTT CTGCACCTGG ACCGTGAGGA TGGGAAGAAG 1140GTAAGGTTGG TCTGGGCATG TTATCATCTA GGCTTTACAG CCCTTTGAAA TCCTAGGGGC 1200TGAAATGTGA CTGGAAGTCT CATATCTACC GCTGACCTCT CAGTTCCTCA AAGAAACTGC 1260CTTCGTGTCT GGTCTGTGCA CATCTTTGTG TTTTCCAGTG CATTTGTGTG TGTGCACATA 1320TGTGCGTTTG GGAGCTGACG CAACGGAGAG AGTCTGTGTG AGTGGCTCTC ATGACTGTGT 1380GCAGACCAGA GGCTGAGTCT GGAATATGAC CTCATTCCAC TCCCCAAGGT GTTCCTCCTG 1440GCGGGAAGGA AGAGAAAGAA GAGTAAAACT TCCAATTACC TCATCTCTGT GGACCCAACA 1500GACTTGTCTC GAGGAGGGGA CAGCTATATC GGGAAACTGC GGGTACTAGC ATTCCCCCAG 1560GAAGCAGGCG GGAGTGGGAG GGAGGGGCAG GGGCAAGCTG TCTGTAGAGG GCCTGAATCT 1620TCCTGAAGGA GATCTAGGCC AGGGATGGAT ACTCTCCCAG GATCCTCTCT GATAATCACA 1680TCCAACTGGA GGCCTATGTC TATGCCAGCC TAGAGCCAGA CTTGGAGATG GGACTCACAC 1740ACCCGACCCC AAGCTGTTCC CAGGAGGTGG GTGCAGGCCC ACCAAGAGTG ATGGATCCAA 1800CCCCAGGGTG TCACTGATAA CGCAGGCCAC CATGGAAGAG TTGCCTTGGC TCCATGGTCA 1860ATGCCAAGGG ACAGGGCTGA GAGTGAGCTC GGTACCCGGG GGCGCKCCGG ATCCTTAATT 1920AAGTCTAGAG TCGACTGTTT AAG 1943 881 base pairs nucleic acid single linearDNA unknown 12 GATTTAGNGG AACACAGCAN CTTGNGGGTG GGANGGCAGT GGTGAAGGGGCAGGAAGGCT 60 CTGAGCCTAG GCCTCCAGGT GGGGGCAGTG GGGAGGTAGG GTTTGCTGAGGAACTGAGTA 120 CCAGATTTGG GGAGCATAAA TAAAGATGAG AGGTCAGGAG CTAAAGCTGGAGATGGGGCT 180 GGACTGAGAC TTAGGCTGGC TGCGACAGAG GAGATCTCAT CCTCTCTCCACGGGTGCTAA 240 GCCTCTTCCA CTGTCTTATC AGATGCCATT CTGTTTGCTC ACCTCCCATGAGGAGAACTC 300 CCATGTTCCC CCAGATAAAT CTYCTGAAGA ATCCTGATTG ACCTCCCTGAATTGCTCTCA 360 CTGAACTGAA ATGCACTTTG AGTCAACTCA GAGCAAGTCC AGGCCTTCTGCCCACGAAGT 420 GTCTTCAAAG ATGTGGATTC AGTGAGCAGT ATGCCTCCCT GGGCCTGCTCCTGTTCCAGC 480 CCAGAATGTT TTGCAGGCTC CTCATAGGAC AGACGATGAG CTGTTCCCTGCTTCTGGGGC 540 AGAGGGTGCA TGACTCTATA CTGATTGTGC CTTTATTTCA GGTCCAACTTGATGGGCACC 600 AAGTTCACTG TTTATGACAA TGGAGTCAAC CCTCAGAAGG CCTCATCCTCCACTTTGGAA 660 AGTGGAACCT TACGTCAGGA GCTGGCAGCT GTGTGCTACG TGAGTCCTAGGTTCGGGGGT 720 CTCTGATTTC CAAGGTAGAT ATGAAATCCA GGACTTGATG CCTGATCTAGGGGCTATCCC 780 ATCCATCTTA GTGGGTAGAC AAGGCTGTGT GGAGAGGGGC TGTCCTCTGTGGAGTGTTCC 840 TGGCCTAGGA CAGGGGCTCT GGCTCTCTCC TCCTGACTTC A 881 1622base pairs nucleic acid single linear DNA unknown 13 AGTAGTTTGCCGGAYCGAAG TGGAAGAACA RCATTCCCGT GAGCAGAACC AAGGATGACG 60 CATAAGAGGAGCTAGTTCTG GCAGGGTAGA GACCCCAGGG GCTCAGTTCT GGCCCGTGTT 120 AGGTTTAGAGGGATGTGTGT TAGACTTCGG AGTGGAGATG GTGGGAACTA GCTCTTCCTC 180 TTTATTCCCGTCCCCCCCAC CTTCTCCAGT AGGTAAATAG ACGCCTCAGG TGGCCAGTGT 240 TGCGTTCTCTTTCCCAGGAG ACAAACGTCT TAGGCTTCAA GGGVCCTCGG AAGATGAGCG 300 TGATTGTCCCAGGCATGAAC ATGGTTCATG AGAGAGTCTC TATCCGCCCC CGCAACGTGA 360 GTGTCTACCCCTTCCTCCCC TCTTTCCCCA TCATCCTAGT CTCTGCATGA GCTTCTAAGG 420 GCAGAACTCCAGCTGATGTG TATATGTGGA GGGGTACCAT GTGAGAAAGC CCTGGAGGTC 480 TAGGGAAATCCAAGGACCCC CATTCCCGGG ATAGATCCCT TTCTGGGGTG GTCATGGTGC 540 CAAAGGCCTGGGCCTGGCTC AGGTGAGGCT GCCCTCCCAG GAGCATGAGA CACTGCTAGC 600 ACGCTGGCAGAATAAGAACA CGGAGTGTAT CATCGAGCTG CAAAACAAGA CACCTGTCTG 660 GAATGATGACACACAGTCCT ATGTACTCAA CTTCCATGGG CGCGTCACAC AGGCCTCCGT 720 GAAGAACTTCCAGATCATCC ATGGCAATGA CCGTGAGTGT TTCTGTCCCT ACTCATTATG 780 GTCCGTAGGATACCCAAGGC CCTTAGCGTA GGGTTCAGCC CACCTAGCCC TGCCTACACT 840 GGCTAGAGTTTAAGAATGTG AGCTATACAG CTAAGGTTAG ATGTATGGAA CTTTCTAACC 900 CTAATGACTGGGAGGTCCTG GAAGAACCTT CTTTGSAGCC CTGGTCCTAG ATTCTGTGTA 960 TTCAACGGAGTCTCAGGCAC GGGAACACCC TTTAAAAGGA CTTTTCCTCT TTTCTGTCCC 1020 CTGGTGTTCACATGCATCTT ACTTTGTCCT TTGSCATCTG CCACCTCTTT CCTGCCACTT 1080 CTCCCAATTGGCCTTTGTTT TACTTCCCTT TGTGATTCCC CTGGCATCTC TGCTTCTCAC 1140 TTGTTCTTCCCTCATGTGGT TTGGGTGTCT GTCTATCCTT CCCTGGCTCT ACCATTCCTG 1200 TCCTGTCCTTTTCTCTGTCT GTGCCTGTGC TTGGCCCCAG CGGACTACAT CGTGATGCAG 1260 TTTGGCCGGGTAGCAGAGGA TGTGTTCACC ATGGATTACA ACTACCCGCT GTGTGCACTG 1320 CAGGCCTTTGCCATTGCCCT GTCCAGCTTC GACAGCAAGC TGGCGTGCGA GTAGAGGCCT 1380 CTTCGTGCCCTTTGGGGTTG CCCAGCCTGG AGCGGAGCTT GCCTGCCTGC CTGTGGAGAC 1440 AGCCCTGCCTATCCTCTGTA TATAGGCCTT CCGCCAGATG AAGCTTTGGC CCTCAGTGGG 1500 CTCCCTGGCCCAGCCAGCCA GGAACTGGCT CCTTTGCCTC TGCTACTGAG GCAGGGGAGT 1560 AGTGGAGAGCGGGTGGGTGG GTGTGAAGGG ATGAGAATAA TTCTTTCCAT GCCACGAGAT 1620 CC 1622 1338base pairs nucleic acid single linear DNA unknown CDS 1..855 14 GTG ATAAAG AAC AGC AAT CAA AAG GGC AAA GCC AAA GGA AAA GGC AAA 48 Val Ile LysAsn Ser Asn Gln Lys Gly Lys Ala Lys Gly Lys Gly Lys 1 5 10 15 AAG AAAGCG AAG GAG GAG AGG GCC CCG TCT CCC CCC GTG GAG GTG GAC 96 Lys Lys AlaLys Glu Glu Arg Ala Pro Ser Pro Pro Val Glu Val Asp 20 25 30 GAA CCC CGGGAG TTT GTG CTC CGG CCT GCC CCC CAG GGC CGC ACG GTG 144 Glu Pro Arg GluPhe Val Leu Arg Pro Ala Pro Gln Gly Arg Thr Val 35 40 45 CGC TGC CGG CTGACC CGG GAC AAA AAG GGC ATG GAT CGA GGC ATG TAT 192 Arg Cys Arg Leu ThrArg Asp Lys Lys Gly Met Asp Arg Gly Met Tyr 50 55 60 CCC TCC TAC TTC CTGCAC CTG GAC ACG GAG AAG AAG GTG TTC CTC TTG 240 Pro Ser Tyr Phe Leu HisLeu Asp Thr Glu Lys Lys Val Phe Leu Leu 65 70 75 80 GCT GGC AGG AAA CGAAAA CGG AGC AAG ACA GCC AAT TAC CTC ATC TCC 288 Ala Gly Arg Lys Arg LysArg Ser Lys Thr Ala Asn Tyr Leu Ile Ser 85 90 95 ATC GAC CCT ACC AAT CTGTCC CGA GGA GGG GAG AAT TTC ATC GGG AAG 336 Ile Asp Pro Thr Asn Leu SerArg Gly Gly Glu Asn Phe Ile Gly Lys 100 105 110 CTG AGG TCC AAC CTC CTGGGG AAC CGC TTC ACG GTC TTT GAC AAC GGG 384 Leu Arg Ser Asn Leu Leu GlyAsn Arg Phe Thr Val Phe Asp Asn Gly 115 120 125 CAG AAC CCA CAG CGT GGGTAC AGC ACT AAT GTG GCA AGC CTT CGG CAG 432 Gln Asn Pro Gln Arg Gly TyrSer Thr Asn Val Ala Ser Leu Arg Gln 130 135 140 GAG CTG GCA GCT GTG ATCTAT GAA ACC AAC GTG CTG GGC TTC CGT GGC 480 Glu Leu Ala Ala Val Ile TyrGlu Thr Asn Val Leu Gly Phe Arg Gly 145 150 155 160 CCC CGG CGC ATG ACCGTC ATC ATT CCT GGC ATG AGT GCG GAG AAC GAG 528 Pro Arg Arg Met Thr ValIle Ile Pro Gly Met Ser Ala Glu Asn Glu 165 170 175 AGG GTC CCC ATC CGGCCC CGA AAT GCT AGT GAC GGC CTG CTG GTG CGC 576 Arg Val Pro Ile Arg ProArg Asn Ala Ser Asp Gly Leu Leu Val Arg 180 185 190 TGG CAG AAC AAG ACGCTG GAG AGC CTC ATA GAA CTG CAC AAC AAG CCA 624 Trp Gln Asn Lys Thr LeuGlu Ser Leu Ile Glu Leu His Asn Lys Pro 195 200 205 CCT GTC TGG AAC GATGAC AGT GGC TCC TAC ACC CTC AAC TTC CAA GGC 672 Pro Val Trp Asn Asp AspSer Gly Ser Tyr Thr Leu Asn Phe Gln Gly 210 215 220 CGG GTC ACC CAG GCCTCA GTC AAG AAC TTC CAG ATT GTC CAC GCT GAT 720 Arg Val Thr Gln Ala SerVal Lys Asn Phe Gln Ile Val His Ala Asp 225 230 235 240 GAC CCC GAC TATATC GTG CTG CAG TTC GGC CGC GTG GCG GAG GAC GCC 768 Asp Pro Asp Tyr IleVal Leu Gln Phe Gly Arg Val Ala Glu Asp Ala 245 250 255 TTC ACC CTA GACTAC CGG TAC CCG CTG TGC GCC CTG CAG GCC TTC GCC 816 Phe Thr Leu Asp TyrArg Tyr Pro Leu Cys Ala Leu Gln Ala Phe Ala 260 265 270 ATC GCC CTC TCCAGT TTC GAC GGG AAG CTG GCC TGC GAG TGACCCCAGC 865 Ile Ala Leu Ser SerPhe Asp Gly Lys Leu Ala Cys Glu 275 280 285 AGCCCCTCAG CGCCCCCAGAGCCCGTCAGC GTGGGGGAAA GGATTCAGTG GAGGCTGGCA 925 GGGTCCCTCC AGCAAAGCTCCCGCGGAAAA CTGCTCCTGT GTCGGGGCTG ACCTCTCACT 985 GCCTCTCGGT GACCTCCGTCCTCTCCCCAG CCTGGCACAG GCCGAGGCAG GAGGAGCCCG 1045 GACGGCGGGT AGGACGGAGATGAAGAACAT CTGGAGTTGG AGCCGCACAT CTGGTCTCGG 1105 AGCTCGCCTG CGCCGCTGTGCCCCCCTCCT CCCCGCGCCC CAGTCACTTC CTGTCCGGGA 1165 GCAGTAGTCA TTGTTGTTTTAACCTCCCCT CTCCCCGGGA CCGCGCTAGG GCTCCGAGGA 1225 GCTGGGGCGG GCTAGGAGGAGGGGGTAGGT GATGGGGGAC GAGGGCCAGG CACCCACATC 1285 CCCAATAAAG CCGCGTCCTTGGCAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAA AAA 1338 285 amino acids amino acidunknown protein unknown 15 Val Ile Lys Asn Ser Asn Gln Lys Gly Lys AlaLys Gly Lys Gly Lys 1 5 10 15 Lys Lys Ala Lys Glu Glu Arg Ala Pro SerPro Pro Val Glu Val Asp 20 25 30 Glu Pro Arg Glu Phe Val Leu Arg Pro AlaPro Gln Gly Arg Thr Val 35 40 45 Arg Cys Arg Leu Thr Arg Asp Lys Lys GlyMet Asp Arg Gly Met Tyr 50 55 60 Pro Ser Tyr Phe Leu His Leu Asp Thr GluLys Lys Val Phe Leu Leu 65 70 75 80 Ala Gly Arg Lys Arg Lys Arg Ser LysThr Ala Asn Tyr Leu Ile Ser 85 90 95 Ile Asp Pro Thr Asn Leu Ser Arg GlyGly Glu Asn Phe Ile Gly Lys 100 105 110 Leu Arg Ser Asn Leu Leu Gly AsnArg Phe Thr Val Phe Asp Asn Gly 115 120 125 Gln Asn Pro Gln Arg Gly TyrSer Thr Asn Val Ala Ser Leu Arg Gln 130 135 140 Glu Leu Ala Ala Val IleTyr Glu Thr Asn Val Leu Gly Phe Arg Gly 145 150 155 160 Pro Arg Arg MetThr Val Ile Ile Pro Gly Met Ser Ala Glu Asn Glu 165 170 175 Arg Val ProIle Arg Pro Arg Asn Ala Ser Asp Gly Leu Leu Val Arg 180 185 190 Trp GlnAsn Lys Thr Leu Glu Ser Leu Ile Glu Leu His Asn Lys Pro 195 200 205 ProVal Trp Asn Asp Asp Ser Gly Ser Tyr Thr Leu Asn Phe Gln Gly 210 215 220Arg Val Thr Gln Ala Ser Val Lys Asn Phe Gln Ile Val His Ala Asp 225 230235 240 Asp Pro Asp Tyr Ile Val Leu Gln Phe Gly Arg Val Ala Glu Asp Ala245 250 255 Phe Thr Leu Asp Tyr Arg Tyr Pro Leu Cys Ala Leu Gln Ala PheAla 260 265 270 Ile Ala Leu Ser Ser Phe Asp Gly Lys Leu Ala Cys Glu 275280 285 20 base pairs nucleic acid single linear DNA unknown 16CCGACTCGAT TGCCAGTGTA 20 20 base pairs nucleic acid single linear DNAunknown 17 GCGGATACAG ACTCTCTCAT 20 21 base pairs nucleic acid singlelinear DNA unknown 18 GTTCAAGCTG GTTTCAAGAT G 21 20 base pairs nucleicacid single linear DNA unknown 19 ATCATCCAGG GAAGATGGAC 20 19 base pairsnucleic acid single linear DNA unknown 20 CTTCCTGGTG GAGGCAGTG 19 20base pairs nucleic acid single linear DNA unknown 21 GAAGCAGTGACGGGATGTGG 20 18 base pairs nucleic acid single linear DNA unknown 22GGGTACCGAG CTCTGGTC 18 20 base pairs nucleic acid single linear DNAunknown 23 TCCAAGTCAG GAGGACAAAC 20 21 base pairs nucleic acid singlelinear DNA unknown 24 GAAAGTGCAT CTGAGAACCT G 21 20 base pairs nucleicacid single linear DNA unknown 25 CCTCCTCCTG GATGTAACTC 20 21 base pairsnucleic acid single linear DNA unknown 26 TGTGACCATG TGTATTTCAG G 21 20base pairs nucleic acid single linear DNA unknown 27 CCTCTAACGGATGAGCAGTC 20 20 base pairs nucleic acid single linear DNA unknown 28GATTTGGATC CCAGACCACC 20 21 base pairs nucleic acid single linear DNAunknown 29 GACTTCCAGT CACATTTCAG C 21 18 base pairs nucleic acid singlelinear DNA unknown 30 GTGCAGACCA GAGGCTGA 18 20 base pairs nucleic acidsingle linear DNA unknown 31 TTCAGGCCCT CTACAGACAG 20 20 base pairsnucleic acid single linear DNA unknown 32 TCATAGGACA GACGATGAGC 20 21base pairs nucleic acid single linear DNA unknown 33 GTCCTGGATTTCATATCTAC C 21 20 base pairs nucleic acid single linear DNA unknown 34AGGTAAATAG ACGCCTCAGG 20 20 base pairs nucleic acid single linear DNAunknown 35 ACGTCTGCCC TTAGAAGCTC 20 18 base pairs nucleic acid singlelinear DNA unknown 36 CTGGACCTGG CTCAGGTG 18 22 base pairs nucleic acidsingle linear DNA unknown 37 GTCATTAGGG TTAGAAAGTT CC 22 20 base pairsnucleic acid single linear DNA unknown 38 TCTTCCCTCA TGTGGTTTGG 20 19base pairs nucleic acid single linear DNA unknown 39 CCACAGGCAGGCAGGCAAG 19 20 base pairs nucleic acid single linear DNA unknown 40TGCGCAGAAA CAATCACCTA 20 17 base pairs nucleic acid single linear DNAunknown 41 CAAGACGTGA ACCTGGA 17 20 base pairs nucleic acid singlelinear DNA unknown 42 GCGGATACAG ACTCTCTCAT 20 20 base pairs nucleicacid single linear DNA unknown 43 GAGGACAAAT GTCCTAGGCT 20 17 base pairsnucleic acid single linear DNA unknown 44 CATGCTCCTT GGGATGT 17 17 basepairs nucleic acid single linear DNA unknown 45 TGAGGATTGC TTAAAGA 17 90base pairs nucleic acid single linear DNA unknown 46 GAGACAAATGTCCTAGGCTT CAAGGGACCT CGGAAGATGA GTGTGATCGT CCCAGGCATG 60 AACATGGTTCATGAGAGAGT CTGTATCCGC 90 19 base pairs nucleic acid single linear DNAunknown 47 GGACAAGAAG GGGATGGAC 19 19 base pairs nucleic acid singlelinear DNA unknown 48 CCGTGGATGA TCTGGAAGT 19 20 base pairs nucleic acidsingle linear DNA unknown 49 TGAGACAAAT GTCCTAGGCT 20 20 base pairsnucleic acid single linear DNA unknown 50 TGGACAGAGC AATGGCGAAG 20 20base pairs nucleic acid single linear DNA unknown 51 CCGACTCGATTGCCAGTGTA 20 20 base pairs nucleic acid single linear DNA unknown 52GCGGATACAG ACTCTCTCAT 20 20 base pairs nucleic acid single linear DNAunknown 53 CCGACTCGAT TGCCAGTGTA 20 21 base pairs nucleic acid singlelinear DNA unknown 54 GGAGCTGTTT TCATCCTCAT C 21 20 base pairs nucleicacid single linear DNA unknown 55 GAAGGAGAAG AAGGGAAAGC 20 20 base pairsnucleic acid single linear DNA unknown 56 GGGTGTTACT ATTTAGCTGG 20 20base pairs nucleic acid single linear DNA unknown 57 TTCAAGAGGCCGACTCGATT 20 19 base pairs nucleic acid single linear DNA unknown 58TTCCTCTGCA TCGTGGCAC 19 25 base pairs nucleic acid single linear DNAunknown 59 CACCACCACC ACCACCACTG AATTC 25 12 base pairs nucleic acidsingle linear DNA unknown 60 GGATCCACCA TG 12

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for screening compounds useful for thetreatment of body weight disorders, comprising contacting a compoundwith a cultured cell that expresses the tub gene, and detecting a changein the expression of the tub gene by the cultured cell.